False Hope
by GenerouslyLazyBanana
Summary: Thalia struggles with normality. She gets confused by the normal social conventions. No she isn't an angel. She's just a human. Terrified of men and Demons, yet determined to hunt and kill the latter. After a miserable 12 years all she wants to do is get her life back on track. But when is anything ever that simple? Especially when the Winchesters are involved... (May move up to M)
1. Chapter 1

Angry grey storm clouds pelted thick, needle sharp drops of transparent liquid at the ground. In the not too far distance thunder bellowed, like an enraged giant, stomping towards Bobby's. Thalia had given up on the idea of sleeping hours ago. It wasn't going to happen tonight when such a vicious storm was raging. It put her on edge. Not to say that Thalia wasn't always on edge, she was. She lived in a constant sate on unrelenting fear and worry.

Instead of sleeping she was training. By the two-hundredth push-up her arms where quivering from the effort of supporting her weight. Thalia collapsed on to the hard wood floor. Her chest rapidly rose and fell as she chugged down a few gulps of cool water.

_**BRRRRMMMM**_. Thalia jumped back her heart pounding. She slapped her hand over her mouth; covering her yelp. Her heart was beating faster than any work-out could make it. She stood motionless. She was afraid to move. _It's just thunder._ Thalia reminded herself. _It can't hurt you_, she thought trying to sooth her broken nerves.

When would the fear end? Would it ever end? With a weary sigh Thalia slipped the carving knife on her bedside table into her jumper's pocket. Then she pulled her slipper boots on and tip-toed down the stairs. She was paranoid about waking up Bobby. He'd been so kind, letting her stay here but Thalia couldn't help but feel like she was a burden to him. After all, who really wanted a neurotic young woman, with an abusive past and a career in monster hunting as a house guest? She'd been here over a week and she couldn't help feel like she was outstaying her welcome.

Upon entering the kitchen Thalia flicked on a light. She set about making tea. Under the florescent light Bobby's grimy magnolia walls appeared yellow. She opened the blinds to get a better view of the storm. As she waited for the kettle to boil, Thalia began to spray the worktop with Dettol which she'd found in the cupboard next to the stove. She set to work on scrubbing.

"Thalia?" Bobby called out apprehensively. He'd learnt not to surprise her about a week ago when she'd almost broken his leg. Bobby stepped into the kitchen like he hadn't woken up a minute ago. Sleepy was a concept hunters rarely managed to grasp. You were either sleeping or awake, never in between. He slouched against a wooden dining chair and cast a grim look out of the window. Bobby didn't have his cap on which made Thalia smile, it was strange seeing him without it.

The weather outside was wild. Of course they got storms a lot, but never really this bad. "Make me one too please." Bobby instructed, nodding at the kettle.

Thalia obliged. She leant up, jumping slightly to retrieve a second mug from white wooden cupboard above the stove. She would never be able to re-pay Bobby's generosity. He was letting her stay in his house. Free of charge. From what she'd seen he was like that with all hunters: there to lend a helping hand. He didn't usually play hotel - Thalia was an exception. Until two weeks ago she was presumed dead, so you can image Bobby's surprise when little Thalia Harper appeared on his door-step. All grown up, covered in blood and asking for a place to stay.

"Sorry that I woke you up." She whispered guiltily, whilst tucking a few loose wisps of dark hair back behind her ear.

Bobby waved her apology away. "Don't be ridiculous!" He exclaimed. "It was a phone call from a pair of idjit brothers that woke me up."

The kettle pinged. Thalia stopped scrubbing. Instead she began to divide the boiling water between two mugs. "_Idijt_ brothers?" She asked and lifted an eyebrow curiously. Thalia dropped the Lemon & Ginger tea bags into the water. She began to stir the tea. The whole kitchen was filled with the calming aroma of Lemon and Ginger and a little of the tension slipped from Thalia's shoulders.

"Sam and Dean Winchester. They're notorious among hunters now 'a days. You're probably the only hunter who hasn't heard of them." He stopped for a moment, scratching his beard, before hastily adding, "Which is understandable of course."

Thalia looked at the ground: embarrassed. She hated that people treated her differently because of what she'd been through. Thalia kept her eyes fixed firmly on the floor as she carried the steaming mugs of Lemon & Ginger tea over to the table.

"What did they do that's so miraculous anyways?" Thalia asked, setting the mugs down on the table and pulling out a chair. A few bits of scalding tea leapt from the constraints of the mug and onto her hand. It burned at first, but the warmth that followed was pleasant.

The table was probably the first table Bobby had ever brought, the thing was ancient. Every dent, mark and chip in the wood told a story. Each mustard stain represented a meal, good or bad. The whole house looked like the first touch of paint it received had been the last. Thalia liked that about this house, it had character. It would feel homey if it didn't lack a certain warmth. She could derive meaning from every object she found, even when the object was meaningless.

"They stopped Armageddon." Bobby answered grinning.

She choked on her tea. In the midst of her coughing fit Thalia's dark eyebrows flew up in surprise. Armageddon had almost happened? That sent an icy tendril crawling down her spine. Back in the real world it was easy to forget how isolated she'd been in there. No amount of tea would melt the glacier that experience had left in place of her heart.

"Wow…" She mumbled in awe. _I really did miss a lot._ She held the mug in both hands, not caring that the hot fluid burnt her lips and throat as she practically chugged it down. Physical pain helped Thalia to focus on the present: On Bobby and on the storm and on the fabled Winchesters. "The world was ending and I had no clue… And, and these boys, they stopped it?"

"But," Bobby said "they also started it." His voice held both amusement and sympathy. Possibly even a glimmer of pride. It was then that Thalia realised Bobby's relationship with these boys was deeper than what he had with other hunters. He loved them but he also pitied them.

It took Thalia a moment to quell the fire that had ignited inside of her. Speaking from the point of view of someone on the receiving end, pity was a vile thing. It makes you feel ashamed of what you'd been through. You're scared to open up to people for fear of being pitied. It makes you feel less than you are. He pitied her too.

Thalia forced another gulp of tea down her throat. When the burning subsided so did her anger. "You're right." She answered as flippantly as possible, "Idjits."

Several seconds of silence passed. The only noise in the kitchen was the howling wind and the sharp lashes of the rain on glass and the deep growls of thunder crawling closer. Her mug was empty. Thalia sat, absent-mindedly rolling the string, from the hood of her jumper, between her teeth. She listened until the memories began to close in. They encompassed her like hunting dogs around a fox.

Eventually she couldn't take it. She broke the silence, "Why are the Winchester's coming here?"

Bobby looked away from the empty spot he'd been staring at. He was no doubt lost in his own thoughts, "Hmm?"

Thalia quietly repeated the question and Bobby had to strain to hear her over the storm outside. He explained to her that they were on a hunt close by and Sam had gotten pretty town up by a 4th generation werewolf. The Winchester's were on their way to Bobby's so that they could patch up and recover from their wounds. Thalia nodded.

Right on queue there was a loud **bang** on the door. Thalia flinched. Bobby thought that she didn't see the sorrowful look he gave her. She scrawled a mental note to herself: _get a grip._

"Well, I'd better get that." The old man groaned as he hauled himself up of the chair. Thalia lingered in her seat for a moment before she followed him out into the hall. Just before he opened the front door Bobby turned to look at Thalia, dead in the eyes. "Thalia, I want you to know that I love and trust these boys uh' hundred percent. But a word of warning, when it comes to beautiful young women like you Dean tends not to think with his head." He paused frowning. He wasn't saying it right. "I know that you get...panicky real quick. Don't feel guilty about hurting them on accident, these boys'll understand."

Thalia plastered a fake smile across her face. When Bobby turned around Thalia murmured that they wouldn't understand because she wouldn't tell them. She wouldn't tell anyone. All she wanted was to move on and forget about her past. Of course that was hard when aside from Bobby most men terrified her. She couldn't help it. _After what happened to you it's your right to be terrified._ Bobby pulled back the door and two figures fell through. Although both of them were tall it was the bigger figure that was leaning heavily against the smaller one. In the light of the hall the first thing that Thalia noticed about them was the blood. Bobby swore. She gritted her teeth. Taller one's shirt was torn and three red rivers gushed from the claw marks across his chest. The blood was smeared over him and his brother. They struggled through into the kitchen, leaving puddles as they went. Their clothes were waterlogged. Thalia ran upstairs to the landing to fetch some towels and a few clean shirts from the fresh laundry hamper.

When she returned the tallest Winchester had vanished along with Bobby. His brother had taken up residence in the chair Thalia had previously occupied. His face was clenched in pain as he pushed against his shoulder. Thalia realised that he was trying to pop it back into its socket. He was so focused that he hadn't even noticed her. At first the idea of being alone in a room with a man terrified her. Her instinct to flee upstairs and hide in her room kicked in. _You can't live your life in fear._ A determined look settled on her face. He was just a guy. A good guy by the sound of it.

Thalia crept forward. The fear wasn't going to vanish automatically, not matter how much she wished that it would. She silently set the towels down on the table and made her way behind him. It was easier to not face him.

"Let me help." She said gently.

In surprise the Winchester snapped his head around. The pain caused by this action writhed across his gentle features. Meaning he didn't notice the way she jumped away from him. He hardly made a noise as Thalia popped his shoulder back into place.

"Thanks." His voice was incredibly deep and it sounded drained.

"Are you Sam or Dean?" She moved around the table and picked up a towel. Thalia handed him it with a knowing smile. He took it with a grateful nod.

"Dean. And you are?"

"Thalia." Thalia answered, opening the doors to the liquor cabinet.

"Thalia?" He asked, peering up at her with incredible green eyes.

She didn't elaborate. Instead Thalia set a bottle of Smith & Wesson and two glasses down on the table. She took the seat in front of him and began to pour. "Is your brother going to be okay?" Thalia whispered.

Dean shrugged sadly, "Sammy's been through worse. A lot worse actually…we both have." The hurt in his voice was genuine; it was raw too, like he was still running from the memories. They had that in common. Thalia's body began to relax, whenever she was around new people, men especially; her body would automatically become ridged from fear. She hated it, but couldn't help it.

The whiskey burned on its way down her throat. She set her glass back down on the hardwood surface. Dean filled it back up. "It doesn't make this time around any less painful though." Thalia mumbled, her own traumas crawling back into her mind for the millionth time this evening.

Despite everything, Dean smiled. It was sad and tired and broken, just like hers. But it was a smile nonetheless. "Hell," he grinned, "I'll drink to that."

…

Eventually Thalia did sleep. It wasn't peaceful or dreamless but it was better than usual. For the first time in forever when she woke up Thalia felt refreshed. _I should do late night drinking more often_. She threw on a dressing gown to cover up her vest and tracksuit bottoms before she ventured downstairs.

Thalia cast a side-ways glance to a clock on the kitchen wall: 7:30 am. "First things first," She muttered to herself, "Coffee." Thalia flicked on the kettle and retrieved the coffee beans from their pot. Bobby didn't have any of that instant rubbish, thank the lord. That was the last thing she needed after twelve years of captivity. _Actually_, she thought calmly, _the coffee in there wasn't that bad_. While that was brewing she went over to the fridge and began rummaging for some eggs.

"Morning sunshine," a familiar voice called out from the doorway. "Sleep well?"

He sound less drained than he did yesterday and a lot more cocky. It made her incredibly uneasy. Thalia turned around. "My name's Thalia. Not sunshine." She stated gruffly. Thalia turned back to the fridge, retrieving the eggs. She snagged some bacon too. She set them down on the work top before getting out a frying pan. She felt like omelette and bacon.

She'd practically forgotten about Dean until she felt the air shift behind her. She tensed up. Thalia closed her eyes. She drew in a deep breath. _Just make it clear that you aren't interested. Bobby said Dean's a good guy. Bobby wouldn't lie…but then again Bobby's a guy. _

Thalia's hand found a knife on the surface top; she curled her fingers around the hilt. She didn't plan to use it until she felt a hand on her back. Maybe it was friendly, maybe it wasn't, but she wasn't waiting to find out. Thalia whirled around in a flash. She pressed the knife to Dean's throat, cutting off whatever he'd been about to say. _Do it_, whispered the sadistic little parasite in the back of her mind, _he's a man. Remember what men do Thalia…_

_No_, shrieked the part of her that hadn't been twisted and disfigured by the cruelty, injustice and unanswered hope she'd suffered through. Those men didn't have a choice. They were just as much a captive as she was. They weren't really even men. Just male meat suits for abdominal creatures fashioned from pure hate, the pure part of her mind reminded her.

Dean face had quickly paled. He'd gone from casual and flirty to this bitch is a fucking physco in a matter of milliseconds. "Woah, Thalia put the knife down. I didn't mean to upset you."

"Well you have." Her voice was shaky and unsure.

"Just put the knife down." Dean gulped; wide-eyed.

Something clicked. And Thalia realised the full extent of what she was doing. Suddenly she wanted to obey him. She wished she could hurl the knife across the room and beg Dean to understand. But she couldn't because she'd promised herself she was going to be strong. Thalia drove all the uncertainty and fear from her face. Instead she forced a look of cool indifference to settle over her dainty features.

"I will." She said as calmly as an empress. She was the one with the power. "Let's just establish a few things first." Dean nodded along, he didn't once take his eyes off her. He was scanning, waiting for her to trip up. Just one tiny miss placed movement and he'd disarm her. "You aren't bi or gay, are you Dean?" The sensible part of Thalia knew that she should stop. She was enjoying this way too much: all the power, not being the frightened one for once. It wasn't good for her.

Puzzlement danced over is pretty face as he responded, "No! Look, if this is some sick hate-"

She cut him off, "Good. Well then as far as you're concerned I am a man. You don't look at me like I'm a woman. You don't treat me like one. Are we clear?"

"You're Tommy not Thalia." Dean answered. She dropped the knife and just like that Thalia was back. Relief washed over Dean's face.

Just like that her ice queen bravado dissolved and she was just a terrified young woman again. "Sorry Dean. It's nothing personal." She whispered, turning around and keeping her brown eyes rooted firmly on the eggs.

"Well excuse me if I take it personally." Dean snapped as he stormed off.

Thalia let go of a breath she didn't know she'd been holding and the knot in her stomach uncurled. In an attempt to stop the tears she clenched her eye's closed and pressed her lips firmly together to stop a whimper from escaping. Paranoia was going to kill her eventually. Cool tears flew down her cheeks and a soft whimper escaped her lips.

A voice just materialised behind her, "Excuse me, are you alright?" Thalia flinched.

She turned around to face the owner of the voice. A man she presumed to be Sam Winchester, he was even taller in the daylight. Thalia rubbed away her tears with the back if her hand. "Yeah. I'm fine thanks. Do you want some breakfast?" She nervously asked.

"Um sure." He sounded on edge. No doubt that his brother had already filled him in on Bobby's psychopathic house guest.

Sam looked like just moving caused him agony. Pain writhed across his face as he lowered itself into a dining Chair. Bobby had given him over two dozen stiches last night and half of his chest was in bandages. "You were pretty lucky you didn't get bitten."

"Yeah, if you can call thirty seven stitches and wanting to pass out from the pain every time you move lucky." Sam quipped.

"It's better than getting the urge to devour hearts every full moon."

Sam consented to that point. "You're Mason Blakely's daughter, the one that went missing."

The mention of her father was like a bullet through the heart. It brought up memories of a family she wished she could forget. Memories of one horrific night.

"Let's not talk about it." She whispered. Thalia snapped at Sam, "You know what all of a sudden I don't feel well. I'm going to bed." She grabbed some sleeping tablets of the side.

_The dim lights made the grotty motel room appear warm and fuzzy. Thalia and Maisy were sitting on the bed looking down at their brother. They were practically curled up on each other's laps as Dylan read them Dracula from the floor. It smelt like pancakes in their room. The door opened and their dad strolled in. Expect it wasn't their dad. His eyes were black. Not just his irises, his entirety of his eyes: black as jet. The next few moments were a blur. Dylan stopped reading and began barking instructions at his sisters. Maisy yanked Thalia from the bed and dragged her into the bathroom. Thalia's heart hammered in her chest. She didn't understand. Why were they acting so afraid? Maisy started to draw strange patterns on the floor. There was a strangled yelp from the bedroom and immediately after someone scooped Thalia of her feet. When her father held her she felt safe, and warm and peaceful. Now she was terrified. He wasn't her father. She kicked and screamed but what good is a nine year old against a forty year old. Maisy grappled for Thalia's hand but he flung her back. When they walked through the bedroom all Thalia could see was blood. _

Thalia sat up and screamed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Bonjour Humans! Sorry I didn't write a little message on the first chapter. I uploaded it late and was super tired. Anyway: THIS IS MY DISCLAIMER- I DISCLAIM STUFF. I hope you like the story. I may change the rating to an M later on as the story themes may become more um... unpleasant/brutal idk how to put it. Any way if you enjoy this follow, favorite or comment because it makes me feel special and I will send you love, see: 3 3 3 LOVE 3 3 3**

**Chapter 2**

The bedroom door burst open and hunters rushed into her bedroom. "Are you alright? We heard screaming?" Sam asked frowning as his eyes scanned the empty room.

"Yeah." Thalia panted softly. Her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath. "I had a nightmare."

It was Bobby's turn to frown. "You haven't had nightmare in almost four days. Didn't you take your herbs?"

She shrugged, "I guess something must have stirred up old memories." She unintentionally cast a brief glance towards Dean. She looked away as soon as she realised what she was doing. But Thalia was too late. The look on Dean's face was heart-retching as he attempted to piece together the very crumbly information he had. It was something in between self-loathing, guilt and horror. Instantly Thalia felt guilty for making Dean feel bad. She was the one who'd been out of line earlier; reacting the way she had. More importantly she felt nervous, what if he started asking questions?

No one said anything for several seconds. "Alright, we'll be downstairs. Just holler if you need anything." Bobby eventually said, turning his back.

"Wait!" All three men turned to face Thalia. She locked eyes with her sheets. "Bobby I want you to get me a job."

Suddenly the room was tense. "Thalia y'aren't ready for that yet. You're not well enough." Bobby's voice rang with finality.

"I'll never be well enough" Thalia countered. With determination came conviction. Thalia's voice was focused and all of its softness vanquished. "You and I both know that."

"I won't be responsible for your death." Bobby said with equal amounts of conviction.

He began to turn away again, but stopped when Thalia's voice cracked. "Please…" she whimpered meeting his washed out blue eyes, her own dark ones glassing over with tears. She'd forgotten all about the Winchester's presence. Her mind hardly registered Sam clearing his throat uncomfortably. "I need something Bobby." Thalia sobbed "Anything. Just to distract me from it. I need to escape even for a little bit."

Thalia was fighting back tears with every inch of will power she had. _They won't see me break down._ "Fine." He conceded, "You can help Sam and Dean with their research. But _that's_ it."

Thalia wanted to protest and Dean looked as though he did too. Their dislike was mutual and growing. But neither did protest.

The three of them gathered in Bobby's study. Sam was sitting at the desk with a bunch of papers spread out in front of him, and Dean and Thalia stood behind him, reading them over his shoulder. One headline from a clipping of The Guardian read: BOY AGED SIX PULLS A HOUDINI.

"How do you know this isn't just a abduction?" Thalia asked fixing her eyes on a picture of the boy. His had cropped brown hair and freckles scattered his pale cheeks.

Sam replied "We don't. But the papers report that the house was locked."

The boy had big wonky buck teeth and he was grinning widely for the picture- a school photo precisely. "Have you searched Auxley Primary school? Maybe you'll be able to get an address."

"Doing it now" Dean muttered and lent over his brother. He began hitting buttons on the keyboard and within seconds he stepped back grinning. "Bingo. Jackson Wyoming. That's less than a day away." Dean was already in action, grabbing his coat and snatching up his keys from the table. Sam rose to his full height, which still shocked Thalia and began to pack up his research.

"Okay gimme two minutes to throw some stuff together." She said retreating to her room.

"Woah. You're not coming Miss Stabby." Dean called after her.

Thalia hit the brakes. Someone still hadn't gotten over the knife incident. "Yes. I am."

"No. You aren't. I mean as much as I just love the idea of you to coming along," Dean continued sarcastically, "Bobby would kill me and I have better things to do then babysit."

Thalia gawked, "Babysit? I'm sorry, who was the one at knife point less than three hours ago?" She couldn't believe his audacity. Thalia needed this case more than Dean would ever know and he wasn't about to take it from her.

Sam lingered awkwardly, not wanting to leave his brother in case there was a repeat of this morning but at the same time wanting to avoid this argument for the risk of being dragged into the fighting. "That's beside the point." Dean frowned. "You aren't coming."

"Fine." Thalia snapped. "But just a heads up: when you leave I'm stealing a car and driving there myself. And I will solve this case before you."

Dean sighed and conceded after he cast a hopeful look to Sam, who just shrugged. "Fine. Grab your stuff and meet us out front. You have a minute or I'm leaving."

…

The back of the impala was cramped and short of leg space as both of the boys had their chair seats set ridiculously far back to accommodate their annoyingly long legs. When Thalia had tried to put her legs up on the seats Dean had yelled at her. It was quickly becoming a habit of his. He'd yelled at her again when she almost spilt some water on the leather, after he emergency braked at a red light. And again when he realized that she'd eaten the last of pie they'd taken from Bobby's fridge. He didn't let up about it for an hour and half. Thalia had seriously considered choking him from behind.

The interior of the car smelt like fast food and gun powder, no doubt they had an extensive range of artillery packed into the trunk. It was a stereotypical hunter move. "So," Thalia said in an attempt to make conversation, "what got you boys into the business?"

Queue a moment of awkward silence.

After a small infinity Sam spoke up while Dean pressed his lips tightly together. "Our mum was killed by a demon. How about you?"

Thalia paused for a moment to think about it. "I grew up in it. My Dads sister was killed by a vampire and then shortly after I was born my mother upped and left. So I grew up on the road!" Thalia tried to sound enthusiastic, instead she sounded miserable. "Our father would drag us from sleazy motel to sleazy motel and leave for days on end to go of fighting monsters."

"And you never wanted out?" Sam questioned seemingly shocked. Dean muttered something that Thalia couldn't quite hear under his breath. However judging from the look that passed between him and Sam, Sam had heard him just fine. He turned back around to Thalia for an answer but she just pretended she'd been side-tracked by something outside.

…

They were on the outskirts of Wyoming when Dean's eyes began to drift shut, and after a brief argument they decided that it was best to pull into a twenty-four hour motel. They had one with a double bed and two singles.

Sam decided to go out to find food shortly after they arrived. This left Thalia and Dean, whom she was pretty sure hated her, alone in a room together. After several awkward minutes Thalia excused herself to the attached bathroom to go and shower. The hot water felt like warm needles against her soft skin. Thalia felt a day's worth of tension and channel no. cheeseburger slide off her body. She lathered her skin in strawberry scented shower gel and relaxed against the surprisingly clean wall. She exhaled loudly and let all the tension slip from her body. However as soon as her mind wondered back to Dean she felt the tension creep back in. He positively hated her. What if Sam wasn't back soon? Then she'd have to be alone with him again, only this time she wouldn't be able to use needing a shower as an escape clause. Thalia stood for a moment deliberating. _You kill monsters for a living. You're fucking badass, it doesn't matter what Dean Winchester thinks of you._ She reminded herself, _although you should probably apologise for the whole knife thing. _With that in mind Thalia turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. She hurriedly dried her body with an already soggy towel.

When Thalia walked back into the room Dean was in the middle of a heated phone conversation: "Well what was I supposed to do?" "Short of knocking her out-" "You're welcome to come and get her. In fact please do! I'd actually be relieved." Thalia stormed towards the oldest Winchester. Fury painted her face and she snatched the phone out of his hand and slammed it to her ear.

"Bobby I hate to break it you but I'm a grown up. I'm not some bloody charity case. I appreciate everything that you've done for me, but I don't need your help anymore. Don't call back unless you have news on the case." Before Bobby could respond Thalia slammed the phone closed. Then she realised that Dean was staring lustily at her open mouthed. "What!?" She barked, irritated.

He looked brashly away and managed to choke out "Nothing." But the chrisom colour in his cheeks let her know that something was up.

Thalia glanced down at herself. Something in her head clicked. The heat of mortification began to crawl up her cheeks as she suddenly remembered that in normal society walking around in your underwear was a no no. "Shit."

She quickly leapt over to where her bag was and yanked on a top and shorts. "Oh no knife this time?" Dean asked; sarcasm dripped like venom from his voice. He'd recovered from his initial shock quickly. Obviously he wasn't a stranger to naked ladies.

Thalia rolled her eyes. She could handle lust. It was affection that caused a problem. Thalia sat down on her bed and folded her legs, she looked at Dean with a guarded expression. She wasn't really sure what to make of him. However she was determined to stick to her plan. They were going to be spending a lot of time together so it was vital, for the case, that they got along. "About the knife incident: Dean I'm really sorry. You scared me and something just came over me, it happens sometimes. It's as though my hunting instinct just kicks in and I'm not me anymore. It's awful but I feel like I can't stop it. And I know that I sound like a massive dick, especially because I practically just flaunted my body in front of you but I do mean it. And just now, that was an accident. I know it sounds weird…in fact, Ludicrous but sometimes I struggle with the social conventions. I forget what's what." She paused and her face fell. Thalia's heart hammered in her chest. She'd been more heart-felt and sincere with Dean than she would have liked. She couldn't figure what had come over her. But she couldn't deny that it felt good to open up to someone, even just a tiny bit.

Dean was studying her intensely. There was something in his face that Thalia latched onto: empathy. His words proved it, "I get that." He said solemnly, before hastily adding, "not the social conventions thing… although I do know someone who might! I get what you mean about instinct kicking in. This business eats you alive, it decays our minds. I mean we're in it for life because we can't function like normal people. We're basically just going to work until it kills us." This was followed by a thoughtful pause and then "Hey Thalia, can I ask you a question?"

She wasn't paying much attention. She was still focused on what he'd just said, _mmm? _She hummed absentmindedly.

"What's the _it_ you're so desperate to be distracted from?"


	3. Chapter 3

**This is me disclaiming things- disclaim, disclaim, disclaim. **

**This is me sending love to everyone who followed/faved: 3 3 3 LOVE 3 3 3**

Chapter 3

She shut down. Just like that her openness and bliss was gone. To her credit Thalia didn't miss a beat, "When I said itI was referring to Dean Winchesters giant nose. Which, he should keep out of other peoples business!" She snarled.

Dean's face closed down too. Whatever progress they'd made, they lost. "Duly noted." Dean murmured, looking anywhere but Thalia.

At that moment that the motel door swung open. Sam waltzed in, a pink post-it in his hand announcing, "I have a name and an address!"

Thalia grinned broadly at him as butterflies began to flutter around in her stomach. They had a lead! A real lead, this was all happening so quickly. "We'll leave first thing tomorrow and should make it to Jackson by mid-day." Sam said flopping down on the single bed in the middle of the Thalia's double and Dean's single.

"Hey Sam?" Dean said calmly.

"Yeah?"

"Where's the food!" He yelled his face glowing with longing. Sam look embarrassed and gave his big brother an apologetic shrug. Dean grumbled something under his breath and returned his eyes to Dr Sexy.

"It's okay Sam, I'll go grab some stuff." Thalia said. She hopped up from the bed and pulled a jacket on over her vest, doing the zip up all the way. She grabbed a knife from Dean's duffel bag. It never hurt to be prepared. Dean was too caught up in his show to notice anything, but Sam did. He gave her a questioning look. "I was missing for the last twelve years, so don't blame me if I'm paranoid."

Regrettably it was only after Thalia had left that she realised cold it was. The temperature was well below zero. _Thanksfor the heads up_, she thought whilst mentally cursing Sam. Across the street she noticed the glowing neon sign of a 24 hour convenience store. Teeth chattering she ducked inside.

Warmth spread through her body inside the store. The fluorescent lights flickered as she made her way down each isle scanning the produce. She threw some strange organically produced mush, which may have contained pasta in to the basket for Sam, and then plucked up a pecan pie for Dean. Although she quickly put it back deciding that apple was probably the safer option. What if he was allergic to nuts? Thalia wondered into the refrigerated section of the store and scooped up a couple of microwavable burgers, one for her and one for Dean. After a brief moment of contemplation she grabbed another one for Sam- just in case he decided to take a break from his healthy living campaign. Burgers. That was something she'd missed. Traipsing back and forth along the isles, Thalia's mind began to wonder. It had been 12 years since she'd eaten a burger. They'd never let her eat junk food from fear of spoiling her figure. Thalia had a great figure, big boobs and but yet a slim toned waist. Often she'd wondered if they'd known that's how she'd turn out. Maybe they took her because they knew she'd be attractive or maybe they'd altered her to look like this. Thalia had accepted this was one question she'd never get answered.

Before she could sink deeper into the hungry sea of sharks swimming around her mind Thalia snapped out of her cocoon of thoughts. Suddenly tired, she dragged her weary body over to the till; swearing to herself that she was going to make the boys take her to Burger cashier was a guy about her age. Floppy black hair was swept out of the way of his blue eyes and he shot her a goofy grin as she approached. Thalia returned it with an uneasy smile. She didn't like nice guys; they almost always had an ulterior motive. _Christ, pull yourself together, he's a frigging cashier at bloody Londis. You're only going to have to interact with him for a minute. Afterwards you'll never see him again. _

"Evening," He said warmly as Thalia heaved her shopping onto the counter. Bright red lettering by the till caught her attention: supernatural. It was a book, lying face down, exposing the blurb. She almost paid it no attention until something else caught her eye: Dean, then Sam. A friendly voice shattered the transfixion, "Are you a fan?"

"Sorry?" Thalia said, looking back to the Cashier.

"Are you a fan?" Thalia continued to stare blankly at the cashier. "Of the supernatural books?" He prompted.

"Oh, right!" She laughed feigning stupidity. "I'm not actually, but I've heard good things about them. Is this the first one?" Thalia said holding up the book. Were these books really about Sam and Dean? The Sam and Dean back in her motel room, whom she'd spent the last eight hours in an incredibly cramped car with? A car that one of the aforementioned had a slightly to emotional connection too?

The cashier nodded. "Yeah." The register beeped away as he put Sam's organic mush threw, "So are you local?"

Her ponytail swished as she shook her head. "I'm just passing back through." They were conversing. This wasn't the plan. She was meant to be in and out. Thalia did just want to bolt, but that book had spiked her curiosity.

"Will you be passing back through?" He asked peering innocently at her through thick dark lashes.

Thalia shrugged, "Depends why you want to know?"

"So that I can make a proposition," He smiled deviously at her, but there was playful undertone to everything this guy said. It was said undertone that made Thalia relax a bit. It wasn't sleazy filth bag but it wasn't affectionate either.

"And what exactly would that proposition entail?"

"Me lending you my book in exchange for you giving me your number," He quipped shooting her another goofy grin. "It's just so I can make sure that you're enjoying the book… obviously."

"Obviously." Thalia replied, struggling and failing to stop the wide smile that spread across her face. There was something about this guy that made Thalia feel comfortable around him. It could have been the fact that was so amiable or the fact that he was easy to talk to, or maybe the fact he probably sweat little balls of sunshine.

They made the exchange: the book for the numbers.

Between smiling like a fool and waving goodbye he called, "By the way, I'm Jamie."

She yelled back smiling foolishly, "Thalia!"

**Good morning/evening/afternoon/whatever time it is with you**

**What did you think? This is just a filler chapter really? Are we liking Jamie? Good? bad? Ulterior motive? **

**Leave a comment and let me know what you think :) If you enjoyed please fav, follow and/or comment. **

**333LOVE333**


	4. Chapter 4

Thalia burst into the motel room grinning like a crazy lady. Dean was kneeling in front of Sam with a stern look of concentration painted on his handsome face. With a steady hand he was pulling a needle through Sam's chest. Thalia set the shopping on the small table provided by the room and began to unpack. "Dean, is pie alright?"

He temporarily lost focused and turn to smile at her, his eyes bright with joy, "Is it Pecan?" Thalia mentally slapped herself, _damnit._

She shook her head and replied "Apple."

Dean gave her an approving nod and turned his focus back to Sam whilst whispering "Love me some pie."

Thalia was curled up on her bed when she decided to do some that some late night reading was in order. Whipping out her new book Thalia prompted herself up against her pillow and commenced reading. Not even halfway through the first sentence when Sam's horrified voice broke her retrieve. "Please tell me that isn't a Supernatural book?" Dean stopped chewing mid-mouthful to cast an equally horror-struck expression in her direction.

Thalia, despite being on the first page, dog-eared and closed the book looking over at Sam. "Yeah, this guy at the store gave it to me."

"Alright this is going to sound really awkward, but could you not read that?" Sam said uncomfortably.

"Why?" Suddenly it dawned on her, "They're real? These books are actually about you?" Dean nodded and Sam did too. With a sparing a thought for Jamie, she through the book in the bin, Thalia shuddered at the idea of someone writing a book about her past. "That's so invasive…"

"You don't know that half." Sam said groaning.

"He was married to fangirl!" Dean pointed teasingly at Sam who looked as though it was something he'd rather forget.

* * *

><p>The next morning they checked out at 7a.m. and loaded back into the Impala. Thalia was slightly more at ease around the boys, having sleep in the same room as them overnight. She'd only woken up twice, but she hadn't had anymore nightmares. That in its self was a ray of sunshine. It was overcast and cold outside.<p>

They pulled up in front of a local clothes store in the middle of town. According to the boys Thalia needed to get kitted out in 'FBI' gear so that she could pass as an agent. She hopped out of the Impala alongside the boys. Sam separated from her and Dean, something to do with getting hold of a badge.

Thalia was left with Dean. He took her into an old shabby charity shop. Upon entering, Dean crinkled his nose and made a comment that earned him a death stare from the lady behind the till. Thalia found herself smiling as she noticed the tiny little freckles that dotted his face.

"Sorry," He called to the angry lady, who was galring at him through her half circle glasses, which were balanced on a hooked nose that resembled a beak. Dean frowned playfully at Thalia. "Let's get you a suit!" He clapped and then rubbed his big hands together.

They began rifling through the clothing rails trying to scrounge something that might pass as FBI chic. "It smells like mothballs…" Dean complained; he managed to whisper this time.

Thalia rolled her eyes. She'd managed to round-up a few items of clothing that might look half decent. "Come on," She sighed. With-out thinking about what she was doing she grabbed Dean's paw of a hand and dragged him over to the single changing cubicle the shop provided. Half way there she realised what she was doing. Thalia yearned to drop it. But she'd done this. _Breathe Thalia. You're freaking out over nothing again. Dean is Dean, he's nothing bad. He's good, he isn't going to hurt you. _The rational part of her mind said as it attempted to sooth her nerves. But then the nasty side of her mind decided to speak up, it'd been dormant for a good two days and it was back with a vengeance. _Look at how pathetic you are. _It sneered malevolently at her, _so scared of men and to pathetic to do anything but cower. You disgust me… are you really that fucked that you can't trust a man who saved the world? That's just pitiful…_

"Let go of her hand you Buffoon!" A shrill shriek brought Thalia back to the present. A small old lady in a blue wig was screaming at Dean, who looked frozen between fear and hysterics. "The poor girls having a panic attack!" The woman started shaking her cane at Dean and inching forward towards him.

"I'm fine." Thalia managed to reassure the woman as she caught her breath. The woman ran a beady eye over Thalia before shrugging. She returned to her perch at the till.

"What was that?" Dean whispered.

"I have my issues, I'm sure you have yours." She muttered before slipping into the changing room to fast to hear Dean mutter _you don't know the half of it_.

A few moments later Thalia emerged. She was draped in a baggy suit jacket and a white blouse that was too thins and tight in all the wrong places. Not to mention that the trousers were an awful affair; flared and mismatched with the jacket. "Dean, this is useless!" She wined, throwing her arms up in exasperation. "These were the smallest suit pieces I could find! Everything else is going to be massive on me!"

"You're right, it's absolutely useless." Cooed a familiar British accent, not dissimilar to her own.

Dean whirled around to glare at the demon, the only one that didn't completely terrify Thalia. She didn't like him, and she trusted him as far as she could throw him, but he didn't scare her in the same way the others did.

"Crowley what are you doing here?" Dean demanded as he jumped up from his seat, ready for trouble at a moments noticed. To her surprise, Thalia realised that Dean was also familiar with the king of hell.

Crowley ignored Dean. Calmly he turned to Thalia, producing a large sum of money from the pocket of his black coat. "There's a Debenhams across the street. Go by something more convincing." Why did he always sound so conversational and relaxed? It infuriated Thalia. He was a mass murderer, a fucking demon! And yet he managed to sound like a chatty soccer mum half the time.

"I don't want your money Crowley." Snarled Thalia,

"Now is that anyway you to talk to your saviour?" He laughed.

Her cheeks flared red with anger and she stomped over to him. Thalia snatched the cash from his hand and growled "You didn't save me." Before she trudged over to the door.

* * *

><p>"I beg to differ! Crowley called after her, a massive smirk plastered onto his face. His smile faded and his expression clouded over with a sudden seriousness. He plopped himself down on the chair besides Dean, who, was practically eye murdering him.<p>

"What do you want Crowley?" Dean sounded tired. There was rarely a time when he didn't sound like that anymore.

"Why do I have to want something to pay my favourite Winchester a visit?" He winked at Dean before bring a finger to his lips, "Shhh, don't tell moose." Crowley whispered, winding Dean Winchester up was one of his favourite pass times.

Beginning to stand, Dean glared down at the 'King of Hell', "Look if you're just here to waste my time-"

"Alright, alright. Sit down!" Crowley grumbled and yanked Dean back into the seat. "It's about Thalia."

"What about her?"

"She's in danger. Abbadon's decided that she wants her, so I need you and moose to make sure she doesn't get her."

"Why does Abbadon want her?" Dean asked. Crowley couldn't help smirk at the strain and fear in Dean's voice. He would never understand the humans need to protect people that had not use to him.

"All I know is that if Abbadon wants Thalia, then I want to make sure she can't have her." Crowley vanished then. The Winchester's were aware of the threat, and for now, that was all they needed to know.

* * *

><p>On her way back to the thrift shop Thalia noticed Dean leaning against the door of the Impala. He was halfway through some kind of Sub and alone.<p>

"What did Crowley want?" Thalia asked as she approached.

Dean glanced up from hi sub, "Uh nothing." He answered too fast. Thalia grimaced; there was obviously something that he wasn't telling her. "How do you know Crowley? Or is that just another of your many mysteries?" He asked.

Thalia grinned at him, wiggled her eyebrows and slid into the car.

**Hi, so how do we feel about that chapter? I know that it sucked a considerable amount, but it's significant to the plot so yep :) ** **If you're enjoying False Hope then leave a review and follow or fav it :) Much love!**


	5. Chapter 5

They pulled up outside of cute suburban house. It was always a shock to remember how normal some people's lives were: white picket fence, mown law, window boxes. Thalia gulped as the butterflies wiggled in her stomach. Technically this was her first case. Obviously she wasn't about to tell Sam and Dean that, then they'd never let her stay. "You got this." She reassured herself as she got out of the Impala, heels clicking against the pavement.

"Alright, you remember the cover story?" Dean asked patronisingly. He didn't even wait for her answer before he launched into it again, "Me and Sam are agents and you're a specialist therapist we've brought in to help uncover information that may be buried within the subconscious."

Thalia was dressed in a formal black dress that cut off just before her knees, the neckline was Elizabethan Collar and it had short sleeves with it. She smiled at Dean, "I still think it sounds too far-fetched. Wouldn't it be easier to say I was an intern or a supervising officer?"

He paused for a moment chewing the thought over. "Shut up."

As they walked up to the door Sam leant down, "You sure you got this?" He whispered.

Thalia nodded, narrowing her eyes in determination, "I got this Sammy."

Dean knocked on the door. A curvy, verging on plump, brunette woman answered the door with a forlorn expression. Big brown freckles dotted her nose. Dean bounced straight into his, "Mrs Goldsmith? I'm Agent Walker and this is my partner…"

However for Thalia, the world held still. Her cool resolve faltered. As her heart beat sped up a tiny squeak passed her suddenly dry lips and drew the woman's attention to her. The glow of recognition dawning on the lady's own rounded face and her eye's beginning to water.

Dean had stopped talking; he was looking between the pair in befuddlement, along with his brother. Thalia darted past him and crashed into the other woman.

Thalia clung desperately to her sister. Maisy had a grip like iron on her and Thalia didn't care that it hurt. A warm glow radiated through Thalia as she buried her face into Maisy shoulder. Both of them were sobbing like lunatics. Thalia was crying too much that it hurt to breath. Maisy grabbed Thalia's cheeks with small chubby hands and forced her younger sibling to look at her. "You were dead! They took you!" Maisy sobbed as her eyes skimmed over the stranger, picking out small features that she recognised.

Thalia, who was managing to scrape back some dregs of her composure, clung fiercely to her sister's wrists. "I'm okay now, I'm okay." A fresh wave of tears swept over Maisy who began to wail like a banshee. She hugged Thalia tighter and Thalia hugged her back. Afraid that this wasn't reality, Thalia clung on for dear life. Maisy was still here. Still alive.

Her sister really was living the suburban dream. Complete with a small yapping dog that attacked Sam's ankles as her entered the house. Thalia was trembling now that it had really set in. The three of them followed Maisy through to the kitchen "How're you holding up?" Whispered a deep voice.

"Just tell me it's not a lie." She whispered back. Thalia stepped closer to Dean. Right now Sam and Dean were probably the most normal, consistent things in her life. She couldn't explain this new feeling of safety that being near them brought her. Maybe it was just that she knew them. She didn't know Maisy, at least not anymore.

"It's all real. If I'm wrong you can punch me." Dean said, managing to coax out a fragile smile from Thalia, who he thought resembled a baby dear caught in the headlights.

The three of them sat down a big wooden dining table in Maisy's kitchen; there was a big bouquet of tulips in the centre. The whole house was covered in family pictures. Some were of Maisy and a tall gangly man with a thin blonde hair that showed signs of receding, others were if a bright eyed toddler with a blonde halo of winglets and others… Thalia's heart sunk… a buck tooth little boy.

**_Screeeh _**Maisy pulled back a chair for herself. She set down a plate of biscuits and glasses of juice. Dean grabbed a handful of biscuits as Thalia and Sam exchanged a look. Thalia couldn't over the fact that her sister, a child born into hunting, had become such a domestic goddess. "So what happened?" Maisy said as she sat down opposite Thalia, who had no clue how do answer that.

She wasn't quite ready to share. And thanks to Dean she didn't have to, "She doesn't talk about that," He said spluttering biscuit crumbs at Sam. Sam brushed them out of his hair shooting Dean the evils.

Thalia watched as something in Maisy clicked, "Wait. You to aren't agents… you're hunters."

Thalia watched Sam as he leant over the table and offered Maisy his hand to shake. "I'm Sam, this is my brother Dean." Maisy's expression slipped from normal to horrified.

"Winchester?" Sam withdrew his hand, nodding slowly. "I'm afraid you need to leave."

"Maisy no! They're my friends." Thalia cried and jumped out if her seat, ready to defend them.

"Thalia, the Winchesters are trouble." Maisy said with a voice she might use to reason with one of her kids whilst they were mid tantrum.

"They're here to help!" She yelled back. The prospect of losing the boys welled up a dark sadness in Thalia. They were the only friends she'd had in a long while and she wasn't prepared to give them up. Sure Maisy was her sister, but she didn't know this woman! "We all are. Maisy, we heard about what happened to your son." Thalia said softly. Thalia clasped Maisy's hands between her own, the woman who was three years her senior smiled sweetly at Thalia. "Let us help."

"Dylan's already on the case Thalia." Maisy said. She spoke like she was reasoning with a small child. But Thalia's mind was blank. She jerked back from her sister.

"No. Dylan's dead."

* * *

><p>Dean swallowed the biscuits he was chewing with a gulp. Thalia had that look again. She got it just before she had a meltdown, like when she'd almost impaled him with a meat knife, and again in the store.<p>

"No no no no no!" She kept saying. She was shaking her head violently back and forth. Maisy tried to go to her but Sam yanked her back. Nodding at his younger brother in approval Dean stepped closer to Thalia.

She shrieked, "He's dead. He has to be. The room was painted in his blood Maisy! You don't know. No one knows." Thalia was raking her hand through her hair so viciously that Dean was scared it was going to start falling out. "It was everywhere and I couldn't see him and the blood. There was so much! On the ceiling and floor and walls…"

* * *

><p><em>There he was. Mutilated. His arm was bent at an unnatural angle. Blood pooled from a knife that was stuck in his lower abdomen. His head and nose oozed the disgusting liquid. "Daddy please!" Thalia begged through her tears. She lashed and kicked in her father's arms. He sneered at her, "Your Dad's as good as dead Thalia. Just like your bother." <em>

_"__Let go of me!" She roared and sunk her teeth into his hand. It was like he didn't feel pain; his black eyes devoid of anything that wasn't malevolence. He dipped his hand in blood and smeared it across her face. Laughter reverberated from him as she cried. The metallic stink of her brother's blood invaded her nostrils and started to clog her throat. Thalia gasped for air and the 'thing' holding her- _

"Hey, can you hear me? Thalia? Follow my voice… you're fine. Nothings got you; you're here with me…Dean. Sam's here too. Breathe. Just breathe. You're okay. Come on, follow the sound of my voice."

Thalia blinked. Just like that she was back in the kitchen. Dean's hand was cupping her cheek and worry danced behind his green eyes as they board into hers. Thalia let out a deep breath and just let go. She collapsed. The last thing she felt was strong arms seizing her. Then nothing.

* * *

><p>Lying down on her back, her eyes drifted open. The living room was dark, someone had drawn the curtains. Thalia took a shaky breath. And then Dean was there. "Thalia?"<p>

Turning her head slowly, Thalia's gaze locked with the oldest Winchester, who was nervously fiddling with his tie. "I freaked out again." It wasn't a question. Thalia closed her eyes. Why did she ruin everything? Maisy was going to hate her now. At the best she'd think that Thalia was a lunatic. Not to mention this little event would evoke a fresh wave of inquiries from her sister. "Is my brother really alive?" she managed to rasp. Her throat was unbelievably dry. Dean brought a glass of water to her lips. In one hand he cradled her head and with the other he held the water to her lips, allowing her to gulp huge sips and quench her thirst.

"From what I can gather." Dean smiled gently. The room was silent, minus the soft growls of the little dog as it savaged a stuffed bear. "Thalia I know that something happened to you and I know whatever it was it was bad. Look I get that you don't wanna talk about it, but if you ever do… I'm here." Dean coughed, shuffling uncomfortably.

Thalia chuckled faintly, "As if you'd get it Dean."

"Actually I'm one of the few people who might." Dean's voice got darker as he spoke. As he relived his worse memories. "A couple of years back Sammy was in a tight spot." He choked. "Scratch that. He was dead. So, I did what any good brother would do. I sold my soul and brought him back to life."

Dean was facing away from her now. He was sat on the floor with his back pressed against the couch. Thalia sat up and ignoring the burning red ache in her head. She slipped down of the couch so that she was beside him on the floor. They sat shoulder to shoulder as Dean continued his story. "Then I died. I was torn apart by hell hounds actually." He was beginning to shake.

_Is this what I look like when I melt down? _Thalia wondered. As much as the thought scared her she refused him watch to suffer through on his own, so in an attempt to comfort him Thalia traced a path down his muscular arm all the way to his wrist where she gripped his hand, entwining their fingers. He squeezed and she squeezed back letting him know that it was okay. "I went hell. Up here, it was four months. Down there: forty years." His voice cracked again, he was on the verge. But he wasn't crying yet.

"Dean, you don't need to tell me this." Thalia said quietly.

"No. I want too." He answered. "For thirty years I was strewn out on a table, where a demon named Allister got to cut me up. Every day I lived through him dissecting me into tiny pieces and I felt every single incision. At the end of each day, for thirty years, he'd come to me and ask if I wanted to get of the table. In return I'd have to do his dirty work for him. Then one day, when I couldn't take it anymore. I gave in. I spent ten years down in the pit torturing people, Thalia. And a part of me liked it." A tear managed to slip free then. It was briskly brushed away by Dean.

Several seconds of silence passed. There wasn't any point in telling him that it wasn't his fault, that it was miracle to hold on for as long as her did. Dean wouldn't be comforted by things like that, she'd know him long enough to know at least that. Very quietly Thalia murmured, "I suppose you want to hear my story?" She wasn't ready to share it yet, but what choice had he left her?

"Nope. I just wanted you to know, if you ever want to tell someone, I've been through enough shit to know what it feels like." Dean abruptly let go of her hand and stood up. He walked away. Thalia stayed sat down. She and Dean had both been through hell, both felt the sharp talons of torture. Sure, her experiences were more metaphorical to what Dean had described, than literal, but they hurt just as bad.

* * *

><p>Thalia stood up and shook herself off before heading back into the kitchen. Maisy let out a small gasp; she cautiously came closer to Thalia, her pale brown eyes scanning her for any more signs that indicated crazy. Once Maisy was sure they were clear of the crazy for today she reached up on her tippy toes and wrapped her arms around her little sister. "I sure as hell don't know what happened to you. But I'm glad that you're back."<p>

Eventually Thalia pulled away and locked eyes with Dean. He gave her a half smile and a wink before looking back to Sam. "What happened after I… left?" Thalia asked her big sister.

"Well, it rather hard to explain honestly." Maisy said. She found a bottle of wine and began to pour it. "When dad came back he had no memory of what happened, he almost beat Dylan bloody when he told him. Dad was totally fixated on finding you again and bringing you back home. He drunk a lot more and hunted a lot more. He was violent too; he put Dylan in hospital a couple of times. As soon as Dylan turned eighteen he took me and we split. I tried to convince Dylan to give up hunting… I mean it was our one chance to lead a normal life. But he wouldn't hear it. Two years later I met Kieran. We got married when I was nineteen, young I know, but, not to sound like a cliché 'love knows no bounds'. Dylan walked me down the aisle, I mean obviously I wanted Dad but he'd said she wouldn't come. He did show… although I wish he hadn't. He always was one for drama."

"Was?" Thalia interrupted.

Maisy's mouth formed the perfect O. "He died last year, Cancer. He never even told us he had it. Anyway where was I? Oh right, yeah so me and Kieran got married and then when I was twenty I got pregnant and had Ethan. He's great; so smart and beautiful, I can't wait for you to meet him Thalia, and he reminds me so much of you. We'll find him soon, I know it. Then there's Evie, I had her two years ago, when I was twenty three. Evie Thalia Grace Goldsmith."

Thalia scrunched up her face a bit at that one, and then stopped once she realised what she was doing. She smiled awkwardly at her sister, "Uhhh thanks," She smiled in a way that looked like she was in pain. She wasn't too fond of the idea of sharing her name with a snotty two year old that she'd never met. Maisy was a different person to who she'd been twelve years ago, Thalia hoped that same thing didn't apply to her brother. Maisy was looking expectantly at Thalia. She gave Sam a _HELP ME_ look. He jumped up from his seat and walked over to Maisy.

"Would it be okay if we asked you about your son's disappearance now, Mrs Goldsmith?"

"Maisy, please. And no Sam it wouldn't, my brother can handle this just fine." Maisy snapped, straightening the bouquet on the table.

"Oh I don't doubt that he can, I just assumed he'd want to put the case on hold and spend time with his sister, whom he hasn't seen in twelve years."

Judging by Maisy's expression this had only just occurred to her. "You're right. Well, all I really know is that I put him to bed one night and the next morning when I went to wake him up he was gone!" Maisy started to cry again. Thalia couldn't believe how similar they'd once been. Now they could barely pass for sisters. Dean awkwardly stood up and patted Maisy's back.

"It would really help if we could see Ethan's room; there might be something your brothers missed." Dean prompted, kindly.

"Dylan wouldn't miss anything." Right on queue the doorbell rang and Maisy had to excuse herself.

When Maisy left Thalia opened the fridge and plucked out a grape. "Catch." She called to Dean. She tossed it and he managed to catch it in his mouth. Dean raised his hands in victory and grinned at Sam, "Told you I was Batman."

It wasn't Dylan who entered the room with Maisy. Instead she came back bouncing a chubby blonde toddler on her hip. The little girl had some kind of food caught in her hair and was giggling as she crushed two plastic tortoises together with a gurgled **rarrrr! **Maisy thrust the baby at Thalia, cooing "This is your Auntie Thalia! Yes it is! Evie can you say Thalia." To which Evie blew a raspberry.

As soon as Maisy excused herself to go and fetch a clean diaper, Thalia practically threw the kid into the arms of the closest other human. This happened to be Dean, who happily took the little girl. He complimented her on the ferociousness of her tortoises before smiling up at Thalia. "You don't like kids?" Looking at Dean then stirred something in Thalia. She envied her sister. Thalia realised that she herself would never wake up to this life: a man who not only loved her but was a great father. The perfect suburban heaven. One where she had a husband and kids and bloody Pomeranian! She was in too deep. Maisy had gotten out, she'd gotten _everything_.

Suddenly Sam's phone rang. "Hello?

Alright thanks. Take care."

"What?" Thalia and Dean asked in unison.

"It was Bobby. He's found a lead."


	6. Chapter 6

**DISCLAIMER!**

Thalia watched Dean as he swung Evie onto the ground, pretending that she was an aeroplane about to land. She was giggling like mad when he set her down. Dean looked up, catching Thalia's eye. She looked away quickly; embarrassed to have been caught staring, but Dean simply grinned at her. "You coming?" as he scooped his jacket up from the back of the chair it was draped over.

"Yeah." Thalia smiled back at Dean and started for her own jacket.

Sam cleared his throat as he glanced between the two of them. "Thalia, isn't your brother on his way? Are you sure you don't want to wait?"

Her heart sunk for a second. She'd been so excited by the idea of finally getting to go on a hunt and she was actually beginning to like being around Dean, despite them having gotten off to a bad start. Thalia instantly felt guilty for thinking like that. It was still incredible that Dylan was really alive. She hadn't quite managed to wrap her head around it yet. Twelve years of mourning him and he wasn't even dead. _I should be a little less selfish and a little more grateful_, she thought angrily at herself.

"Yeah," said Thalia "You're right Sam. You guys will keep me updated on the case though, won't you?" The missing boy was still her nephew and she wasn't letting some freaky bastard have him. Maisy had lost enough people already.

After Sam and Dean left Thalia didn't really know what to do with herself. She milled around the house and tried to help Maisy with her chores but she just kept getting in the way. When her phone went of Thalia was attempting to balance a dictionary on her head, the buzzer made her jump so much that the heavy book tumbled to the ground, just missing Evie's head. Thalia let out a tense breath as she crouched down to the toddler's level.

"Hey, Evie, sorry about that. Are you alright?" She asked feeling like an idiot. Could this kid even understand her?

"You dropped it." Said the little girl. She gestured with a chubby finger, to the book. "Siwee Taaya (Taa-yah)."

"Yeah silly me." She said as she reached out to stroke one of Evie's blonde curls, smiling at the little girl. Thalia whipped out her phone to see if Dean had texted her with an update on the case. She felt disappointed at the sight of an unknown number. Thalia clicked to open the text:

Hi, how's your business trip? Have you had a chance to read SPN yet? If so: it's good, isn't it?  
>Jamie. X<p>

Thalia's eye's skimmed over the text, but before she could reply another one came through:

(Jamie from the convenience store) x

How cute, Thalia thought. A smile tugged at her lips as she texted back a reply. _Ding Dong. _Thalia stood up to get the door, but Maisy beat her too it. She heard voices, and then a young man came in. He was shorter than Sam and Dean but still a bit taller than Thalia herself. He had dark hair that was cropped close to his head and thick eyebrow. She recognised him in a heart-beat. "Diwun! Diwun!" Evie squawked, demanding her uncle pay her attention. He shot Thalia an apologetic look as he crouched down to Evie's level and produced a bag of chocolate stars from his pocket. He stood up again.

Walking towards him Thalia realised that he had tears in his eye. A watery grin broke out over her face as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He hugged her back fiercely. "You were dead." Dylan whispered as he clung to her.

"Speak for yourself." She chuckled.

* * *

><p>At eight am the next morning Thalia stumbled back through Maisy's front door, covered in sweat and panting for air. She'd just returned from a two hour run. She was greeted by the sound of bacon sizzling and the smell of fresh coffee. She ran up stairs to take a quick shower, preferring not to put everyone of their breakfast with her pungent, sweaty stench.<p>

Thalia strolled into the kitchen; her hair still damp from the shower. Everyone was already awake. Maisy was just serving up three plates of heart disease: bacon, pancakes, eggs, sausages and hash browns. Thalia grinned; this was Dean's idea of heaven. "Good morning!" Maisy beamed as she noticed Thalia coming into the room. "You're just in time for breakfast."

Dylan looked up from the newspaper he was reading and smiled at Thalia. She took the seat opposite him. "What do you think?" He asked sliding the paper across the table to her. As her eyes skimmed the paper a smile spread over her face and Thalia lifted her eyes to peer at him, "Vampire?" She asked.

"Yep. What do you say? You in?"

"Definitely!" It appeared that she was going to get her hunt after all.

Maisy slammed the plates down scowling and Evie made some unintelligible comment in toddler gobbledegook. "I'd rather you didn't speak like that in front of Evie. I don't want her growing up with all this nonsense." She barked.

They both looked away, smirking. Thalia was overjoyed. It felt just like when they were kids again. Dylan always used to rope her into being his wing-woman whilst he was breaking one of their fathers many restrictions, that got set in place while he was of on a hunt, and Maisy would stand there yelling about how she didn't want any part in it. "And don't you even dare go on that hunt." One again Thalia's hopes were dashed. "Besides, Kieran's back from his press conference today and I want us all to go to dinner this evening." Maisy said as she took a seat. "He's wonderful Thalia. I can't wait for you to meet him."

The food was euphoric. Thalia couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten like this. Half-way through breakfast her phone went off. It was another text from Jamie, since he'd sent her the first message they'd been texting back and forth almost non-stop. Thalia thought she might be really starting to like him, he was so sweet. He hadn't even been mad when she'd confessed to 'losing' his book. He had how ever used it as an excuse to get her to agree going on a date with him. He was going to drive down tomorrow, he'd told Thalia it wasn't a big deal because his mum lived in Jackson too.

"Please tell me it's not that bloody Winchester that's got you smiling at your phone." Maisy complained taking a bite of her pancake.

"Airplane Airplane! Wooosh!" Laughed Evie, Thalia grinned at the little girl.

"Winchester?" Dylan cut-in. His voice had suddenly become very hostile.

"I really don't get what you guys have against them. They're good people. I mean sure, they've made mistakes but who hasn't!" Thalia cried for what felt like the millionth time. "And anyway, it's not _that bloody Winchester. _It's someone else, his names Jamie, and before you ask he's a completely oblivious muggle." Maisy rolled her eyes. Thalia and Jamie had started labelling people who weren't hunters as muggles after reading The Philosophers Stone.

"You know that's finished now, they released the final film a couple years ago." Dylan informed Thalia as he bit into a slice of Bacon.

"I know that." She said rolling her eyes, "I still read books and watched films there."

"What was it like?" Dylan asked. His mood suddenly became sombre. "There, I mean."

A knot twisted in Thalia's stomach and her throat closed up as she struggled for words. She'd just begun to block it all out. She closed her eyes and tried to make herself breathe, but the breaths wouldn't come. "She doesn't talk about it." Maisy said. She actually managed to sound rather peeved about it too.

"I'm going for a walk." Thalia stood up and left. She'd hardly touched her food.

* * *

><p>The archive room was dimly lit and smelt like bleach. Dean was not unfamiliar with either of these descriptors but he still wasn't used to them. He watched Sammy as he paced back and forth. "Just tell us what Abaddon wants with Thalia and we'll make this as painless as possible." The look on the demon's face suggested that he might consider it. But it was never that easy. Sam ended up with a face full of spit.<p>

The creature hissed as Sam scraped the demon blade along its cheek. Dean had become so desensitized to it all that he would forget there was a person in there somewhere. An innocent person, with a life, job and family; someone who was suffering through all the torture and having to bear witness to their own hands committing vile atrocities they couldn't even conjure up in their most horrific nightmares.

Sam had the blade at the creature's throat, "Last chance," Sam warned it. The demon just snarled at him.

Just as Sam was about to carve out the things jugular Dean yanked him back. "Hold it Sammy. We still need the information."

"He's not going to talk Dean."

"Not to us. I say we call Crowley and have him do the dirty work for us." Dean grinned as she watched the creature's malice fade away.

"You know what you're right. He'd love to get his hands on someone that betrayed him for Abaddon." Sam smirked at Dean. The brothers turned and left the archive room, sealing the screeching demon inside.

* * *

><p>Thalia was sitting at the dinner table in the same dress she'd worn when she'd arrived at Maisy's. Only this time she was in the middle of a massive, fully packed restaurant that she would have loved nothing more than to avoid. Maisy was sitting across from Thalia and Dylan, talking to Evie in a futile attempt to try and get her to eat the broccoli on her plate. Kieran was absorbed in Maisy. He'd hardly acknowledged Thalia and Dylan for the past half hour. Of course when he'd first arrived he'd made polite small talk, but now it was all about Maisy. The way he was looking at her would make you think she was the most wonderful, beautiful, intelligent woman in the room. Thalia sighed. Would anyone ever look at her like that? <em>No<em>, laughed her inner demons, _you're second-hand garbage. You'd be luck to even find someone who'll put up with you, let alone treat you well. _

"They're so cute." She whispered to Dylan in an attempt to suppress her inner monologue.

"Yeah, they are." He said his voice was slightly sad. _I guess I'm not the only one who's worried about being eternally single. _

"Don't worry DD, someone somewhere is bound to love you eventually!" Thalia teased her brother.

"Please let's not bring that awful nickname back." Dylan said. He was attempting to sound exasperated but the huge grin on his face made it hard to buy. "Seriously though," he said more solemnly, "it isn't that I'm worried of not finding love. The ladies love me, I'll have you know." Thalia couldn't help but scoff, Dylan ignored her though. "It's just I couldn't do that to someone I loved. You saw what happened with Mum and Dad, this life destroyed her. I couldn't do that to someone I loved. I don't want to end up like him."

Thalia was slightly taken aback, what was she meant to say? She hadn't expected such a deep, soulful revelation. "Uhh…try dating a girl who's a hunter?" She suggested feebly.

Dylan laughed, "The only one I know is my little sister so I think I'll pass. Anyway tell me about this Jamie."

Thalia smiled with excitement, "He seems really nice. We're going for coffee tomorrow."

Now it was Dylan's turn to tease Thalia, "Woah! Not coffee! Slow down there sis, you'll be drowning in commitment before you know it."

**Bonjour! Sorry that this chapter was pretty crap. It was basically just a filler. To be honest I'm a little lost with whats meant to be happening, leading up to the next big thing, if that makes sense. Anyway, just bear with me. The next chapter will be interesting! (probs) **


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi guys I had to replace the chapter because for some reason an important chunk at the end got cut out! Anyway sorry about that, hope you enjoys. Show it some love, review and fav/follow the story!**

The weather was getting colder and the days were getting shorter thanks to the approaching winter. Thalia was dressed in a grey knit jumper that was a bit too big as she'd borrowed it from Maisy, a woolly hat, scarf and gloves (also borrowed) and a pair of dark denim Jeans and black ankle boots. She'd scraped her dark hair back into its usual pony-tail.

As she walked down the street towards the coffee shop her whole body was tingling with nerves and excitement. This was her first proper date. She couldn't get over her excitement, she might actually find someone who was willing to love her; someone who was kind and sweet and could make her laugh. Jamie was all of those things. All she'd have to do is keep her past buried. As she walked along the grey pavement she started to think back to the Winchesters. They'd promised to keep her updated on the case but they hadn't contacted her once yet. Thalia made up her mind, if she hadn't heard anything by tomorrow she was going to call Dean and demand that he fill her in.

Suddenly she heard someone calling out her name. She saw Jamie standing by a table outside the coffee shop. He was grinning like a maniac and waving fervently at her. She smiled and waved shyly back. There were two cups to go, on the table in front of him. Steam was still rising from their lids. "Hey, I didn't know what you wanted so I got you a pumpkin spice latte, is that alright?" Jamie beamed as he handed Thalia the drink.

"Thanks." She answered, taking a hesitant sip. To her surprise it tasted a lot nicer than she thought it would.

Jamie smiled at her and pushed back a bit of fringe that fell over his eye. "So is there anything specific that you want to do today?" he asked looping his arm through hers.

Thalia racked her brain for something, witty or interesting to say but after several seconds she came up blank. "Umm, I don't mind. We can do whatever you like." She cringed at how corny and boring she sounded.

Jamie shot her a wicked smile, "I hoped you'd say that."

It was those five words that lead to Thalia and Jamie sitting crossed legged on his living room floor playing Mario Kart. "You can't do that!" Jamie laughed trying to pull his controller away. Thalia giggled as she tried to balance steering her own car and throwing Jamie of course. Grim came bounding into the living room and jumping onto Jamie, the small black pug began to nip at his fingers. "Grim what are you doing? You're meant to love me!" Thalia laughed even more as she whizzed over the finish line in first and Jamie fell back to sixth. She couldn't believe she'd been missing out on so much for all of these years. Dating was grate. The most amazing thing was that she didn't feel scared of Jamie. Jamie was as intimidating as a butterfly. She was completely at ease around him, which was strange. Thalia was never at ease around anyone. But he was so bright and bubbly that he just projected a sense of calm to those around him. _Just relax and let yourself be happy for once, _she told herself joyfully, because for once she stood an actual chance of doing just that.

It was dark by five pm, so Thalia took Jamie up on his offer to walk her home. Not that she needed protecting. The streets were almost empty and were lit only by dim lamps spaced widely apart. It was times like this when Thalia got nervous. What if something came out of the dark? A huge smile spread over her face as she imagined Jamie's reaction to her going ninja on some movie monster. "What are you smiling at?" Jamie inquired, peering at her from the corner of his eye.

Thalia's grin got even wider as she turned her face to look up at him. He was just taller than her; probably around Dylan's height. "You."

"Me?" He said surprised, "What did I do to deserve a smile like that?"

"You were nice to me." Thalia answered earnestly. Without meaning to she glanced down at his lips.

Jamie's blue eyes roamed over her face like he was trying to memorise every inch of it. Thalia found herself wanting to kiss him. She'd always thought that she'd never want to kiss anyone ever again. The idea used to make her skin crawl. But there was something about Jamie; he had this aura about him. Everything he did or said seemed so warm-hearted and gentle. "Would it be totally lame if I asked if I could kiss you right now?" He said as a hint of colour crept into his pale cheeks.

Thalia captured the lapels of his black trench coat in her hands. _You've done this hundreds of times before, why should this time be any different?_ She thought in an attempt to calm her nerves. But I was different. She answered his question, "Yes." Thalia craned her neck upwards slightly and she pressed her lips to his. The kiss was slow and soft. Although it was pleasant, it was nothing like Thalia expected. In all of the books she'd read their were warm tingly feelings and fireworks went off as your lips met. There was none of that, but it was definitely the best kiss she'd ever had. And when Jamie pulled away his lips lingered just out of reach of hers. A huge, cheesy grin was plastered on his face. Thalia reached up and swept a piece of black fringe away from his eye. "I had an amazing time today." She whispered.

"Does that mean I can call you again?" She smiled and nodded at the goofy, slightly gothic boy in front of her.

"I'm looking forward to it."


	8. Chapter 8

**Morning/evening/afternoon/night everyone! Are we enjoying the story so far? **

**DISCLAIMER- DISCLAIMING BECAUSE I REMEMBERED- Random fact: I don't know why but I always sing my disclaimer as I type it**

**WARNING THIS CHAPTER HAS SWEAR WORDS so cover your eyes if they offend you. (They don't occur frequently so don't worry) Enjoy the chapter...**

Dean glanced down at the caller ID: Thalia. Despite knowing that Sam was watching him, Dean rejected another one of her calls. "Dean." Sam said from beside him on the couch, "You've got to tell her. That's the fifth call in four days you've rejected. She's going to know something's up."

Dean clenched his jaw and glared at his little brother in frustration. "Sam how do you tell someone that a Knight of Hell thinks they're the 'chosen one'! Not to mention, if they don't surrender themselves that said Knight will kill their kid nephew?"

Sam gave Dean a wistful shrug, "I didn't say it was going to be easy. But Dean, we have to tell her."

Anger flared in Dean, wasn't Sam meant to be the smart one? "Sam the first thing she'll do is want to give herself up! And I can guarantee whatever Abaddon wants with Thalia, is way worse than what she wants with that kid." Dean paused. "As cold-hearted as it sounds, we have to remember that he's just the bait. It's Thalia who's the 'chosen one' whatever the fuck that means…" Dean shivered at the thought. What would Abaddon do to Thalia once she had her?

"Dean we've got to be smart about this." Sam persisted "If we don't tell Thalia she's going to get impatient and go looking for answers herself. Then she'll just fall right into Abaddon's trap. If we tell her now then we can make sure she doesn't do anything stupid." Sam's gaze bore into Dean's as he prayed for his brother to see sense. Dean just stared back at him with a blank and ire expression. Sam took another prod, "That way maybe nobody has to die."

* * *

><p>Thalia was sitting beside Jamie on Maisy's couch; his arm was draped over her shoulder. She was staring down at her phone in dismay because Dean had ignored her call. Again. Evie was running around in a nappy screaming about making cookies. Maisy had left them alone with Evie for five minutes while she popped to the shops to grab some baking ingredients. In those five minutes Jamie had fed Evie over a handful of blue M&amp;M's. Right now they were dealing with the aftermath of this tragic mistake. To make things worse, Thalia and Jamie had been spending enough time with each other to make him eligible for Maisy's 'motherly concern questionnaire'. She was bombarding Jamie with mortifying questions whilst Thalia listened amused as he floundered for answers.<p>

"Where do you work?"

"Part time at a convenience store, but I'm actually still in college."

"Really what are you studying?"

"Law."

"How many girlfriends have you had?"

"Urm, excuse me?" He said looking a little shocked by the personal invasion.

"Well?" Maisy demanded as she glared at him. "How many?" She put her hand on her hip. Shit was getting real.

"Serious ones?" He asked. She nodded.

"Two."

"And when did you break up with the last one?"

"Just under a year ago."

"Are you over her?"

"Yes."

"How many different women have you slept with?"

Thalia spat out her drink. "OKAY. Maisy that's enough." Maisy opened her mouth as if to say something, but Thalia got an idea. "Hey Evie," Thalia called out deviously, "Mummy said she'll make cookie's with you now!" Before Maisy could get a word in edgewise a half-naked toddler came stampeding into the living room.

"COOKIES. NOW MUMMY! NOW, NOW NOW!" Maisy shot Thalia the evils as she allowed herself to be dragged away.

Thalia smiled apologetically at Jamie, "Don't worry. I'm not going to make you answer that." She reassured him. Jamie gave her a thankful smile. Despite the questions it was obvious that Maisy liked him; this was something that Thalia was glad for. Unfortunately Dylan wasn't as easily won over as Maisy. He came into the living room a few moments after Maisy left with Evie. "Hey Thal, have you seen my M9? It wasn't in with the _rest_ of my guns."

Both of them knew perfectly well that it was in a locked chest in the trunk of his car. Jamie shuffled closer to Thalia and she was forced to stifle a laugh. "No idea. Sorry DD. You should probably find it soon, before Evie does." He shot Thalia the evils as she used his old nickname again. Then Dylan glanced menacingly at Jamie before he proceeded back into the kitchen.

"So your brother's big on guns?" Jamie gulped.

Thalia laughed, "Don't worry I'll protect you. I'm a way better shot that him."

"Seriously? What are you guys like all trigger happy?" Jamie seemed slightly shocked. Thalia fidgeted uncomfortably. It was weird to think that not everyone had an arsenal in their trunk. Jamie, sensing the sudden tension quickly said, "I mean it's no big deal if you are. Each to their own and everything, I'm just curious."

"Our Dad was massively into hunting when we were kids so we're all pretty good with a firearm. Even Maisy." She answered. Thalia fidgeted on the brown leather couch.

Jamie laughed and instantly Thalia relaxed again, "Seriously? Maisy? Seeing that is definitely my new life ambition!" He grinned. Thalia was filled with an over-whelming sensing of glee. Things were finally starting to seem normal. Things were finally starting to look up.

* * *

><p>When four o clock rolled around Jamie had to leave. Thalia walked him to the door. It was just as Thalia leaned up to kiss him that her peripheral vision caught site of a black impala rolling up. She dropped down and Jamie caught her cheek. "Hey? What's wrong?" He asked as he pulled away.<p>

"Huh? What…Oh nothing. Just some of Dylan's friends have literally just pulled up." Thalia lied, but it was easier to lie to him. She had no intention of introducing Jamie to Sam and Dean. Can you imagine how weird that would be, _"Hi these are my friend's Sam and Dean Winchester. Yes they are the fictional characters that you read about. That's write they're 100% non-fiction and so is everything you read. Have fun sleeping at night now you know Anabelle is real."_

"Oh alright, but you're okay?" Jamie asked peering at her from under dark lashes.

"Yup!" Thalia bounced her head a little too enthusiastically. "Bye, call me later." She quickly pecked his lips and then ushered him out of the door.

She was a ball of nervous excitement as she watched them exit the car. Thalia bounced from foot to foot as she resisted the urge to run over there and demand they tell her everything. Sam and Dean saw her in the door way as they got out of the car. Sam smiled sadly at Thalia and Dean blatantly refused to look at her. Thalia's heart sunk. Whatever news they came bearing was bad. Her gut twisted; a wave of nausea swept over her at the thought of having to tell Maisy the worst news. Ethan didn't make it.

"Hi," She said pessimistically as she stood back and let the boys in. In response they mumbled awkward hellos. Thalia was struck by how saddened she was at the news that Ethan was dead. She'd never met the kid. But now she never would. The photos on the walls of this house was the closest that she'd ever get to Ethan Goldsmith. What was even more lugubrious was realising how fond she'd become of Evie and how now she'd never get the chance with Ethan. "You guys should probably wait here. I think it might be better if I tell Maisy." Thalia said morosely.

"Tell her what?" Sam asked as Dean shrugged of his jacket and hooked it onto a peg.

"Ethan…" Thalia said, beginning to feel confused.

"He's fine as far we know. Why would you think he wasn't?" Dean said staring at her.

"Well you both look so miserable. If it isn't Ethan, then what's wrong?"

At that moment Maisy barged into the hallway. Her short brown hair was an untidy mess and her cheeks were puffed out and red. There were stains all down her pink domestic goddess apron. "Will you close that bloody door? You're letting all the heat out!" She nagged at Thalia. It took her a few moments to register that Sam and Dean were standing in her hallway. At the sight of them Maisy started beaming from ear-to-ear, "You boys better come in. I've just put some cookies to bake. Tell me everything won't you! Do you know where my baby is? Can you get him back?" Maisy prattled on speedily. She scarcely paused for breath. She grabbed the cuff of Sam's jacket sleeve and dragged him into the kitchen behind her. As they followed them, Dean placed his hand in the centre of Thalia's back. He did it so casually now that they were friends. Thalia wouldn't have noticed if his touch didn't make her skin tingle.

He leant down and whispered, "So what's the goss? Who was that guy you were kissing back there?"

The corner of Thalia's lip tugged up in a smile. She threw a narrow eyed, side-ways glance at Dean, "Why do you care who I kiss?"

Dean scoffed. "I don't. I'm just looking out for a fellow hunter." After a few seconds of silence he added, "Plus it's good to know what you've been up to while I've been _slaving_ away over newspaper articles and demon torture, trying to locate _your_ nephew."

Thalia's blood ran cold. She came to a grinding halt. Dean, who wasn't paying attention, walked straight into her. Thalia tripped forwards into Sam, who thankfully, managed to catch and steady her. _Demons_. Her mind was too busy screeching that word to register Sam taking Maisy into the kitchen to discuss the case.

Dean's hand was resting on her tensed bicep. He gently shook her. "Thalia?" She just about managed to keep control of herself. Recently she'd been working really hard to keep the memories suppressed and at bay. For the most part she'd been successful in this endeavour too. And her success wasn't about to end now. She took her a few moments to focus her mind and get a handle on her thoughts, but eventually she managed too.

"I'm fine." Thalia reassured a worried Dean, "Shall we go into the kitchen? I want to hear what Sam's telling Maisy."

"Actually I was wondering if I could talk to you alone. There's something else you need to know, about the case." Dean's green eyes scanned over Thalia apprehensively, it was obvious that her 'moment' back there had put him on edge.

She nodded at him. A sudden rush of concern over-came Thalia as she began to fret over what Dean could possibly have to say to her that he didn't want to say in front of everybody else. "Okay sure, lets go outside." Thalia led him back out of the front door. They sat on the white, wooden porch steps that lead to the black front door. Maisy's bright green lawn was mown perfectly. Not even a single blade of grass dared to stray out of place. Flowerbeds made up of vibrant reds, yellows, purples and pinks were lined up against the white picket Fence, beyond which rested a misplaced black impala. Thalia sighed, she was that impala. But who was the lawn? Dean remained beside her quietly and Thalia wondered if he was ever going to break the silence that hung between them.

Several moments passed before Dean finally spoke. "Thalia please don't freak out on me alright?"

"Okay…" She reassured him wearily. She tried to catch Dean's eyes but he wasn't looking at her.

"We caught a demon and after some _persuasion_, he told us things about the case we didn't know before. This whole kidnapping Ethan, it's just a small part of a big picture. There's this demon named Abaddon" Dean's expression fell even further. "…and by the look on your face, you know who I mean." The blood had all drained from Thalia's face. Her skin became pale and washed out. Thalia managed to slowly nod. Her whole body felt taut and on edge. _Abaddon_. A Knight of Hell. _The_ _last_ Knight of Hell. Thalia didn't know much about the demon. It was just a name she'd heard flung around here and there. But she knew enough to be scared.

"You still with me?" Dean asked softly. He waited for Thalia's shaky nod before he continued. "Abaddon want's you. She has it into her head that you're 'the chosen one'. Whatever the hell that means. She wants you to trade yourself for the kid."

Thalia's mind was still stuck on 'chosen one'. She looked up a Dean, it seemed that a little of the tension had slipped from his shoulders. It was not to her surprise, that when Thalia attempted to speak her voice came out a decimal to high and as squeaky as a mouse, "What does she want me for?" The voice in her head was closing in again. Gleefully taunting her in a malevolent sing-song voice.

_You're going back. _

_Idiot._

_Did you really think you were free? _

_And just as you were finally happy. _

_I'm sure they missed you. And I bet they can't wait to show you how much. _

_Are you excited? I am. _

_You should be grateful you pathetic cow. You belong there, not out here. They're the only ones who will want you. _

Dean stared at her in shock. A feeling of uncertainty was creeping up on him. Did Thalia realise she was crying? Not only that but she was clutching her head in her hands and repeatedly mumbling 'no'. Two big hands wrapped around each of her wrists and slowly drew them from her face.

It was only then Thalia realised that she was crying and began to try and claw back some self-control. Her dark brown eyes were captured by green ones, staring up at her. She began to lose it again. It had all been repressed for too long and now it was gushing back to her with an intensified desire for vengeance. Dean had moved so that he was crouching in front of her at the bottom of the steps. He was staring up at her in worry. Dean helped her to stand up, yet once they were up she practically fell against him.

Thalia wrapped her fist in his black t-shirt and wept "Please, don't let them. Not again. Please not again." Dean wrapped his arms around her tightly, wanting to shield her from the world. He rested his chin onto top of her head and closed his eyes. Dean was sure that she wasn't even aware that it was him she was talking to right now. She was just crying and he happened to be the one close to her. Seeing Thalia like this filled simultaneously with heartache and hatred. She was a prime example of what the business does to you. "Please," she begged, trying to nuzzle her tear soaked face deeper into his chest. Dean cradled her to him, too scared to let go.

"Thalia I promise I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I promise; even if I have to sell my soul again." Dean didn't have a clue about who '_them_' was, but he meant it when he vowed: "I won't let them." He didn't know why he said it. But at this moment he didn't care. He'd do anything not see Thalia cry like this. Whenever she'd melt-down like this it was heart-breaking. He could feel the pain rolling of her. It was corroding away at her soul very slowly, and all he could think about every time she broke down, was stopping it. Dean wanted so badly to protect her. But all he could do for the moment was hold her. So he did.

**Hmmm. So what did we think of this chapter? Are we liking the story so far? I feel as though its been to uneventful. Was it too long? D let me know what you think in the reviews. Reading them makes me happy, if you have any improvements i could make please also let me know. Fav/Follow and Review because it makes me feel happy :) **


	9. Chapter 9

**DISCALIMER **

Thalia opened her eyes. She was sat on a cold floor, shrouded in a cloak of darkness. It took her eyes a few moments to adjust. The room was lightless, and filled with a potent smell. Thalia wondered frantically where she was and how she'd gotten there. It was cold. Above her she could hear the loud grumble of rusty pipes as water gushed through them. Thalia looked around and as she did so she started to recognise the dark, odorous room as a basement. _How on earth…_ she wondered, feeling slightly dazed. Suddenly Thalia became aware of a soft whimpering sound, that she couldn't quite pin point. Slowly she stood up. She was freezing; dressed only a thin t-shirt and tiny fabric shorts. Thalia wrapped her arms around herself as she approached the noise. Her bare feet were as cold as ice as they crept along the hard concrete floor.

"Hello?" She called out stupidly. Thalia automatically cursed her idiocy. Whatever was making the noise might be dangerous and she'd just alerted it to her position. Instantly she began to scramble around for something, anything, which she might be able to use as a weapon. Just as she wrapped her fingers around a rusted piece of pipe a soft voice spoke out it the darkness. It was smooth and silky and cold like ice, "I wouldn't do that if I was you."

Thalia stilled. Slowly she raised her hands in surrender and spun to face the other woman. She was tall and slim, with fiery orange hair that fell in a ginger blaze to her chest. Bright red lipstick was smeared across her lips, which were pulled into an unnatural looking smile. "Thalia, how nice to finally meet you."

Thalia gulped, she knew who this was. _Abaddon_. "How did you get me here?" She stuttered, still shivering from the coldness of the basement.

"Oh don't look so scared. I had a witch pull some hoojoo and now I'm in your head." The demon rolled her eyes at Thalia's puzzled expression. "You're dreaming dummy. Come, there is something I want to show you." Smiled the demon, then she walked off before Thalia could reply. As Thalia followed Abaddon through the basement she began to wonder what the demon could possibly have to show her. Something cold and wet dripped from the ceiling onto her bare arm. Thalia's heart jumped in her chest and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up as she was forced to stifle a shriek.

"When you say that I'm the chosen one, what do mean?" Thalia asked as she ran to catch up. The basement was huge. She suddenly became aware that the whimpering had intensified.

"All in good time darling," Drawled the demon. Abaddon had slowed and was now standing, staring down at something. Thalia slowly approached. Her eye's widened in horror as her gaze fell on the child. His hands and feet were bound with thick ropes, the skin around which was pink and blistered and raw. He had been gagged with a dirty piece of cloth, that Thalia thought may have once been white. His dirty blonde hair was overgrown and matted and his clothes were torn and stained by mud, amongst other things. Thalia almost gagged at the repulsive stench the child was emitting: faeces.

"You don't recognise him?" Abaddon asked as the light went off in Thalia's head; she could practically hear the smirk splayed on the demons lips. Ethan. She crouched down beside the little boy and struggled to pull him onto her lap, his odour forgotten. "Hush, shh Ethan it's okay." Thalia whispered as he began to writhe and squeal. She stroked his matted hair to try and bring him a little bit of comfort. She hugged him awkwardly; he was too big for her lap. She bent her head down and whispered in his ear, "I know your mum alright. We're coming for you Ethan, soon okay? We're going to get you out." Thalia vowed to the little boy. In that moment, fuelled by adrenaline and empathy, Thalia was prepared to give in. She'd happily surrender herself to Abaddon in return for her nephew. Demons had already destroyed her sanity and she'd be damned if she'd let them destroy his.

Behind Thalia there was a vicious sneer, "How touching. But I believe that we have things to discuss."

Thalia craned her neck to glare at the ginger haired demon. "Fine. I give up, you can have me." She spat angrily. As she felt the shackles tighten around her freedom Thalia refused to cry. Not in front of this black eyed bitch. "Let Ethan go Abaddon, and I'm all yours." Her voice remained dangerous and steely. Thalia wished she felt half as brave as she sounded.

The demon was practically aglow, "Excellent. There are several warehouses in the outskirts of town; your nephew is in the basement of the third. _You_ can retrieve him. Untie him and let him find his own way home. Be warned, if I so much as think I see another hunter lurking within 1000 feet of this place, my demons will snap this sweet child's neck and feed his blood to your beloved sister. Are we clear?"

That was ridiculous. "No. How do I know that you won't just take me and kill Ethan? I'll come, but I'm bringing other hunters."

Abaddon wasn't stupid, in fact she was very clever and she wasn't taking any chances when it came to the Winchesters. "No deal. Maybe I'll just kill everyone you've ever known and then take you by force."

Thalia remained silent as she tried to process a way of guaranteeing Ethan's return. "What if we meet at the big park opposite the coffee house at mid-day tomorrow? Your demons bring Ethan and we'll make the exchange: him for me. You know the hunters won't try anything in a crowded, public place. _Please_ Abaddon."

"Very well. Don't be late." The demon agreed. Then Abaddon clicked her fingers and the next thing Thalia knew she was awake.

**Thanks for reading. I hoped you liked it, please fav/follow and Review! **


	10. Chapter 10

"Thalia for the last time, you aren't sacrificing yourself." Dean snapped as he paced back and forth between the confining space of the motel walls.

Thalia was perched on the corner of his unmade bed peering up at him through dark lashes. Her face was set with determination as she glared at Dean Winchester. "And for the last time Dean, I'm not asking you. I can't let Ethan go through what I went through. As long as there's still hope I won't give up."

"Are you sure that this is what you want to do?" Sam asked across the room. He was sat at a small, circular table with a book in his hand. He tucked a loose bit of hair behind his ear.

After Thalia had woken up from the invasive dream, she'd come straight to the motel the Winchester's were staying at and demanded to see them. It wasn't much. The room was small and dark and dingy and it reeked of damp. Mould had settled like cobwebs in the corners of the room and the walls were paper thin. They were all pretending that they couldn't hear the couple in the next room going at it.

"Sam! What are you doing?" Demanded Dean. It irritated him when Sammy went against him like that, he was meant to stick by him. Then again, Dean supposed, sticking by family wasn't Sam's strong point.

"Dean it's her decision and she's going to make it anyway regardless of what we say or do." He pointed out. To Dean's further irritation, Sam had a point.

"You know what Sammy; I thought I could rely on you of all people to support me. By siding with Thalia you're just giving the demons what they want." Dean regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth, "I'm not even surprised anymore."

Sam's book hit the table. "Screw you Dean." Sam snapped. Then he stormed out. Dean groaned. He didn't have time to feel bad right now and instead he turned his attention back to Thalia.

Her dark eyes were gazing pleadingly at him and despite everything he felt about this situation Dean felt his resolve crumbling. He gave in with a dramatic sigh, "Fine." He consented and raised his arms in defeat, "We'll make the trade and get Ethan back. But as soon as we have him, we're going to get you too."

"Dean," Thalia tried to explain, "There's no point. They're going to be long gone by the time you plan the attack." Why was he so infuriatingly stubborn? Couldn't he see that she was better off _with_ them? Their world worked in a way she understood. She could function as long as she detached her physical state of existence from her mental state. She'd become surprisingly good at doing that over twelve years. Out here it was impossible to live like that. Instead the two would infuse and she was proof that the result was catastrophic. "I want you to leave me there and please, don't come back."

Thalia's voice was heart-breaking. She sounded so defeated and miserable and broken and Dean could relate better than anyone. It was the voice of someone who'd seen hell and pulled though; but as much empathy as Dean felt for her, it didn't stump his irritation at her blindness. "Thalia you aren't getting it. _You're_ the end game. You're what's important, you're the one they want. Not Ethan."

"You're wrong Dean; I'm no use to anyone. Ethan needs to get out." To Thalia it was obvious that the prophesy was just a ploy to get her back. They probably wanted to punish her for what she'd done to those demons during her escape. She could live with that, but not with letting a little kid suffer the punishment on her behalf. "Don't you see? I don't work out here. I can function like everyone else because they broke me Dean. In there, I get it. I can be normal. I know how to act and what's expected of me. But out here none of it makes sense to me. I don't work like the rest of you. I don't know what to do or how to behave. Everyone: you, Maisy, Jamie all confuse me, because I'm not a person in the same way that you are, and I'm not sure what I feel about anyone. I'm not even sure that can remember emotions, I definitely can't define them. So it's worse out here for me Dean, because I wasn't built for freedom."

A long silence fell between the pair. They were deaf to the couple in the other room and to the tick, tick, tick of the tacky Elvis clock on the wall. Eventually, not being able to bear the silence Thalia stood and pushed past Dean into the hall way. Something about him made her overstep her mark; she'd tell him things that she didn't even know she felt, without meaning to. And yet somehow Dean always drew them out. But there was no point in thinking about it now because she was going back, and in a sick, perverted sense she was glad.

**Hey guys, sorry I haven't updated in a while. This is just a short piece to keep you going, Chapter eleven should be up pretty quickly as well. It isn't much but I hope you like it. Thanks to everyone who has already faved and followed and reviewed. If you haven't please do! **


	11. Chapter 11

Dean let him-self fall back against the wall. He let out a long, shaky breath as the enormity of everything Thalia had said sunk in. Quietly he swore to himself. Why had he handled that so terribly? She must hate him even more now. The door swung open and Sam re-entered the room. He stopped to stare at Dean leaning against the wall. At the sight of his brothers grieved expression Sam's own anger at Dean faded. "I screwed up Sammy." Dean confessed and continued to stare straight ahead at nothing.

"What happened?" Sam asked as he approached his big brother.

Sam pried Dean from the wall and half held his brother up right. Dean seemed so out of it that Sam was scared if he fully let go then Dean might collapse. "Thalia poured her heart out to me and I just stood there. I just made everything worse and now she's gunna go back to them. Sammy, we can't let that happen." Looking at his brother Sam thought he caught sight of tears gathering in Deans eyes. They disappeared as quickly as they'd come and Dean snapped out of whatever trance held him. He stood up-right and sprang into action. He knew that as long as he kept his busy he wouldn't have to think too much about it.

"Sam, you call Cas and Bobby and tell'em to get their asses up here pronto," Dean instructed, "we're gunna need some serious back-up to get Thalia and Ethan safely back. While you do that, I'll call Dylan and fill him in on everything." Sam nodded and sprang into action alongside his brother. As Dylan's phone rang Dean thought back to a few moment's ago when his guilt had held in a trance like state. Guilt, was Dean Winchester's biggest flaw, he let it eat him alive. He never forgot the people he couldn't save and he had a feeling, just a very small feeling, but a feeling none the less, that if he didn't save Thalia then the guilt would finally overcome him.

Thalia and he were so much alike in the struggles they'd faced, but she clearly wasn't strong enough to pull through on her own. Dean felt as if in someway she represented him and that if he didn't save her then he didn't deserve redemption for all of those people he hadn't saved. Dean didn't always know how to work in the real world either. That's why a part of him responded so well when he was in hell and purgatory: he finally had a definitive purpose to his life. Out here everything was more obscure. You're emotions dragged you down and forced you to feel, they affected your choices catastrophically and the blurred the lines between right and wrong. But in those places, there were no lines to blur. There was just survival.

* * *

><p>Jamie answered the door almost immediately after Thalia knocked. His face said it all: she was a mess. After a few seconds of staring at her Jamie stepped to the side and ushered her into his apartment. "What the hell happened?" He asked as he took her coat and hung it on a peg. She bent down to stroke Grim who'd come bounding into the hallway at the sound of the door being opened.<p>

"I um, walked here. Sorry, the wind outside is crazy." Thalia apologised monotone, standing back up. "Look we really need to talk and I haven't got much time." Thalia felt immensely uncomfortable and all she wanted to do was leave. The fight with Dean had really shaken her. She didn't want to deal with Jamie right now, but she had to. This was her last chance to see him before it was all over.

"Alright," Jamie said, concerned by Thalia's unexpected appearance and strange behavior.

"Jamie-" Thalia paused. She was going to dump him, she really was but she couldn't bear to confirm worry in his blue eyes. Screw it, Thalia thought. "You know I travel a lot for work, well I have to go away." She said sadly. It was partly true, she was going away.

"Oh, for how long?" He asked sounding half relieved and still half worried.

"That's the thing, it's indefinite." Thalia explained guiltily. She decided that she'd get Maisy to tell him that she'd been in a car accident or something.

"Where does that leave us?" Jamie said, sensing the morbid tone.

"Call you when I get back?" She offered, knowing full well that she wasn't coming back.

He nodded halfheartedly. He knew this was the end, but as Thalia turned to leave he found himself grabbing her wrist and calling out "Wait"

Jamie was so wrapped up in his own feelings that he didn't notice the way Thalia's whole body froze up, even if it was only for a fragment of a second. Thalia let out a calming breath, she was unbelievably thankful that he'd spoken as he grabbed her, at least it gave her some warning. She still reacted badly to being surprised like that. Yesterday she'd broken Dylan's nose when he'd made her jump. They'd spent all evening in A&E.

"Thalia," Jamie said as she turned back around, "I _really_, _really_ like you. I don't just like you, I'm falling for you. I just wanted you to know that before... you leave." He sighed at how pathetic he sounded. He was probably already just another memory, a girl like Thalia must break one hundred hearts a day, he thought that he was just another drop in the ocean.

Despite it all Thalia felt a warm flutter of glee in her chest. Jamie really _liked_ her. It was nice feeling, knowing that someone felt that way about you. Thalia spared him a smile, "I really like you too." She admitted. Thalia enjoyed Jamie's company, he was sweet and he could make her laugh; more importantly he made her feel normal. Thalia was always surrounded by hunters, they were a constant reminder of everything she hated and feared most about the world: monsters. Jamie could make her forget it all, even if only for a moment.

She wondered if she could be in love? She'd ask Maisy what love felt like when she got home. Then Thalia remembered that it didn't matter, she wasn't coming back. She knelt down and picked up Grim, who wiggled and tried to lick her face. "I'm going to miss you Grimmy, look after Jamie while I'm gone. I'll try and be back soon." She smiled, catching Jamie's eye.

* * *

><p>As Thalia left Jamie's apartment she pulled up Dean's contact icon on her phone. She was about to consent to his plan and she had a feeling Dean was a bad winner, despite it she smiled and pressed dial.<p>

**Heya, what did you think? Leave a comment bc i like reading them :) Also follow and fave if you haven't already! **


	12. Chapter 12

The warehouse where Ethan was being held was on the very outskirts of town. The grass fields that surrounded it were dry and over grown and the whole landscape was very bleak and starved of nutrients. There was only one possible road the demons could take to get into town. Neither Bobby nor Cas had arrived yet, but they had to strike now otherwise they might not get another opportunity like this. Dean watched as Thalia took her place in a grassy waterless ditch. He said a quick prayer, if anyone was getting out of this suicide mission alive, it was her.

Thalia crouched down inside the ditch so that she was hidden from sight. Her job was to retrieve Ethan whilst the demons were distracted and get him safely to the Impala. Around forty yards behind Thalia, Sam was hidden behind the black trunk of a bare and lightening charred tree. Then about 35 yards behind Sam was Dean. Dean had crouched down in some long grass so that he too was hidden from view. Dylan was standing in the middle of the road somewhere between Thalia and Sam; closer to Sam's hiding spot than to Thalia's. He had popped the hood of his Jeep and pretended to be fussing over something on the inside.

Somewhere after the curve in the road, at the end which leads back to town, Maisy was hidden in the Impala, ready to drive everyone back home. She had been instructed very clearly by Dean that if he or Sam fell behind she did not wait.

They were only in position for a few moments when Thalia noticed a very flashy Mercedes appear. She ducked lower into her ditch so that she could be certain she would not be seen. Dylan sprang into the centre of the road and began to wave his arms about as a signal for the Mercedes to stop. Thalia hoped and prayed that Ethan wouldn't recognise Dylan and accidentally give them away. She watched the car get closer to her brother but it didn't slow. Yet Dylan held his ground and continued to wave his arms. Her eyes widened in horror- for an awful moment she'd thought they were going to run him over. Fortunately the car slowed and a rather burly looking demon emerged. He was at least three inches taller than Sam and had triple the muscle mass, the creature was terrifying albeit sharply dressed, in a black suit and ray bans.

"Hey man, sorry to bug you. I was just wondering if you have a jump my cars gone…" Dylan stalled as Thalia scanned the Merc. There were three more demons in it. Two in the backseat either side of Ethan and another in the front passenger's seat. She a text out to all three members, alerting them to the fact she'd need a greater distraction.

As soon as Dylan felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, he lashed out, punching the monstrosity before him square in the jaw. It barely flinched. The Demon batted at Dylan with its paw; he ducked out the way, barely missing the punch which would have shattered his Jaw bone. Dylan hurled a glass vial of holy water at the creature causing it to shriek in agony. Thalia hardly registered the demon in the passenger seat leave the car and jump to its companion's aid.

Sam and Dean both came charging out from their hiding places. Dean ran right into the action to fight alongside Dylan. The idiot was armed with a small knife. Thalia furrowed her brow in confusion, what good was a blade against a demon? She didn't have time to think about that. Thalia switched her focus back to Mercedes. There were still two of hells spawn inside. Suddenly she noticed Sam heading straight for the car. He yanked one of the demons from the backseat and they immediately became locked in an intense fight.

There was still the problem of the last demon in the car. Thalia had just decided that she was going to take the risk and attempt to exorcize the shit herself when Dylan appeared and yanked it out of the vehicle. Thalia could swear she caught sight of Ethan then, smiling in disbelief, but she couldn't be sure. After seeing Dylan, Thalia immediately looked for Dean. She felt immense relief flooded through her when she saw that he wasn't just a bloody sack of skin on the floor. But cold, fierce anxiety soon replaced her relief when she saw he was still fighting with the grizzly sized man demon.

She couldn't think about Dean now though, it was time for Thalia to play her part. She crawled silently over the ditch, keeping her body close to the rocky ground and managed to sneak successfully to the car unnoticed. She very cautiously inched open the door and beckoned for Ethan to follow her, all the while wishing for him not to be wary of her. Today it seemed that luck was in her favour. The young boy latched onto her hand and followed her out of the car and in to the ditch unseen. It was a miracle. Thalia could smell their victory.

"I'm Thalia." She whispered to Ethan once they were safely back inside the grassy confines of the ditch.

Ethan's grip on her hand was tight enough to cut off the blood supply, but Thalia was too pumped on adrenaline to notice anything. "Are you my mummy's sister?"

"Yeah, that's me." Thalia grinned as she led him along the ditch towards where Maisy was waiting in the Impala. They were so close.

Ethan didn't return her grin. Instead he stared in wide eye amazement at his aunt. "Does that mean you're an Angel?" he asked in astonishment.

"There's no such thing." Thalia answered bitterly. She was still adamant that if angels or God really existed then what happened to her… well it wouldn't have happened.

"There has to be! You're dead!" He persisted the way that children do.

"No I was never dead." Thalia said sadly. She didn't look back at him this time, she just continued down their path. "_They_ took me Ethan. Just like they took you."

"So who saved you?" He whispered.

In response Thalia grumbled, "I saved myself." There was a thud behind them and the snap of a stick. Thalia froze.

It was the demon who'd been in the front passengers' seat. She could see him clearly now and her heart froze as the fear spread through her. Her legs started to shake. His eyes were black. "Run. Follow the path Ethan. Find the black car." She forced the only vial of holy water she had into his hands. When he didn't take off Thalia shoved him. Hard. Ethan tumbled, hauled himself up and then took off running in the instructed direction. His little hands were desperately clutching the Holy Water.

The demon in front of her was grinning. Thalia knew that she had to keep her cool but it was so damn hard. Instinct screamed at her to run. But what good would it do? He'd just pursue her and she'd lead him right to where Ethan and Maisy were. So instead she stood her ground, her heart was pounding in her chest. She moved into a defensive stance and raised her fists. Even the meat-suit was a slimy looking man. He had thin greasy hair, which he'd slicked back with gel and a long hooked nose that made him resemble vulture. His tiny, beady eyes were sunk far back into his wrinkled head. He was dressed in a food and blood stained vest and an unbuttoned blue t-shirt that was equally as grubby as the vest.

"Hiya Honey-Bun" smirked the creature. "You look awful familiar." Thalia had to fight to stop her lip from quivering as the memories flooded back to her. She fought desperately to keep them back. She needed to survive this. The demon bent down and picked up the stick that he'd snapped. It was a heavy looking piece of wood and would easily make a good club or baton.

She didn't have any weapons so Thalia posed herself for a fight. "Now c'mon Princess," He taunted as he crept closer, "We both know that you don't stand a chance. I'm armed and you ain't, so yuh might as well just give yer self-up."

Thalia laughed. "Do you really think being armed give you an advantage? Don't you know how I escaped?" Her confidence began to crawl back as her mind entered the fight. The only way she stood a chance was to behead or exorcise the vessel. If she beheaded him then the demon would need to find a new vessel and if she exorcised him she'd send the bastard back down to hell.

"Sure do. Someone had to clean up the aftermath. Done worse myself. But old Tim here," It was referring to the poor bastard it'd possessed, "Well I let him free of me for a coupla moments. One ah his daughters were in there. That's why he's such a… compliant vessel" The demon paused and sighed. "For old time sake give up. I won't hurt yer."

At the mention of old times, Thalia's fear and anger got the better of here. She felt like she was in a corner and did the only thing any cornered animal can do. She lunged. Thalia collided with Tim and there was an almighty thud. She rolled to her feet and ducked out of the way of the stick. She was blocking almost all of his attacks and hitting all her targets; as soon as she began to recite an exorcism- _exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, _- the demon knew he had to break her.

"Don't worry Honey-Bun, I'm only taking you back home. 'Cept this time you gon' have a house all to yourself and four times the customers. This time they ain't gon' be no guards for yeh to kill. Yeh earned you a jail cell. Maximum security." It taunted.

Thalia had only been put in a cell once. It was hell within hell. You were fed slimy, rotten food, every other day and given just enough water to get by on in the sweltering heat. Girls died in there and the demons just left their bodies in the cells to rot. Thalia was lucky, there were no dead bodies in her cell and they'd taken her out after a day. The girl opposite her hadn't been as fortunate in either aspect.

The colour drained from Thalia's face and her fighting became less precise and more aggressive as her anger took hold. A ringed knuckle opened up a large gash on her cheek and blood spilled out by the bucket load. They continued to fight and he continued to talk. "See the queen thinks that you're special _very_ special. Me personally? I'd feed you to the hell hounds and be done with it." The fighting intensified. Thalia managed a second line of the exorcism '_Omnis satanica potestas_,' but even so, her fighting was becoming wilder and more manic.

"Don't you remember me Honey-Bun?" It stalled. Thalia stared blankly at the creature and swung a punch. He bent back to avoid it, then smiled malevolently, "I supposed to you I'm just another face in the crowed." Her eyes widened in the realisation. And in her blind rage she snatched up a sharp rock from the ground. Thalia threw herself into the demon and as their bodies collided she embedded the stone in his stomach. This fight was personal. They both toppled to the ground, blood gushing from the meat-suits stomach. On the way down Thalia hit her head. She managed to roll away, but as she tried to stand the nausea and dizziness hit her. She fell back to sitting position. "You're gonna pay for that yuh little bitch." Hissed the demon "Queen'll be angry, but I'll just say I had no choice." He picked up his stick and got ready to swing. Thalia panicked. She had to get help. She did the only thing she could; she opened her mouth and screamed the first thing that came to mind.

* * *

><p>It was silent aside from the wind. The three men were all alive and relatively uninjured and all three of the demons were dead. Dean was knelt over the giant's body and in the middle of wiping the blood from the demon blade on that dick bags tie. He hoped it had been expensive.<p>

Suddenly the sound of Thalia shrieking his name cut through the after battle silence. Without hesitation he took of sprinting to where the scream came from, there was no doubt that Sam and Dylan were close behind him. He gritted his teeth, still too high of adrenaline to feel the pain from his injuries. All he could think was: _shit shit shit shit_, as he ran over. What if Ethan hadn't pulled through? She'd hate him forever. Dean arrived at the source of the scream just in time to see a demon sling an unconscious Thalia over his shoulder. Dylan started forward. Dean grabbed a fist full of his jacket and yanked him back. "Go check Ethan is with your sister, okay?" He snarled.

"Thalia _is_ my sister." Dylan pointed out.

Dean growled, "Now isn't the time to be a smart ass. Two hunters are better than one and I work better with my brother. Go see if Ethan's okay." Dylan glared at Dean for several seconds before he reluctantly withdrew. He took off jogging in the direction of the Impala. Dean handed the demon knife to Sam and dropped into the ditch. He landed in front of the demon. Sam would sneak up from behind. Dean smiled pleasantly at the filth bag. "Put her down and I'll kill you quick."

The demon started forward but Sam, unnoticed, jabbed the knife into its back. The meat-suit began jerked violently, then began to crumple. As it fell, Dean rushed forward to catch the still unconscious Thalia. As he positioned her in his arms bridal style Sam came forward and pressed two fingers to her throat. "Pulse is steady." He said earnestly, all the while peering at Dean, who sighed in relief. She was going to be okay. Dean nodded as if to say _lets go home_ but Sam just continued to stare at him.

"Quit it Sam."

"She's got a boyfriend Dean." Sam said. He sounded genuinely sorry.

Dean scoffed. "Yeah I know! Dude no. Ewww! I feel about Thalia the same way I feel about...Charlie. What would make you think I- that I-I-?"

Sam spoke over his stuttering bonehead brother. "Because Dean, the last time I saw you were in the hospital with Lisa."


	13. Chapter 13

The feather-light touch of someone gently brushing their fingers over her cheek was what brought Thalia back into consciousness. She was on the verge of opening her eyes and sitting up when the voice of an unfamiliar man made her think otherwise.

"There's so much pain…" He mumbled as he continued to caress her face. There was nothing romantic or lustful about his touch but Thalia found it creepy anyway. Wouldn't you if you had passed out and woken up to some guy caressing your face? She was about to reach up and break his wrist, she could do it in one fluent movement and he wouldn't know until it was too late, but then a more familiar voice spoke up.

"Cas, will you stop already?" Dean said irritably, "You're really bumming me out." Thalia reached up and pushed Cas' hand away and then with a groan she sat up. Dean was kneeling beside her almost instantly.

"Hey. How are you feeling?" he asked as he arranged the pillows so that she could lean more comfortably against them. Thalia smiled gratefully at Dean. "Cas go and get the others."

"Actually if it's okay I'd like to stay here." Cas said to Dean.

Thalia watched as Dean stared at the scruffy looking guy, who was now standing in front of her bedroom door. Dean huffed and shook his head. Then he got up and placed a reassuring hand on Thalia's shoulder, she smiled up at him. She owed him so much. Both she and Ethan were safe, and to think she'd been so awful to Dean.

"I'll be back in a minute." Dean assured her. Then he walked out of the room and Thalia was left with the guy named Cas. He just stood there looking at her. He almost looked like he was in pain. _He can't be that bad,_ she told herself, _if Dean likes him then I can like him._ Cas didn't speak for several excruciatingly awkward moments. Then he just walked forward and held out his hand and said "Hello Thalia. I am Castiel."

Thalia stared at his hand and then back at the guy. Was he for real? "Thalia," She said whilst she hesitantly shook his hand and stared back at him. At one point she had to remind herself to blink. "I'm sorry, I don't want to be rude, but who are you?"

"Oh!" His eyebrows flew up into his hairline. It was like he just assumed she'd know him, "Right, of course," He smoothed out his trench coat and gestured to the foot of the bed. "May I?"

"Sure," Thalia said sweetly and shimmied to sit up further in order clear more room for him. Cas sat at the foot of the bed and looked around the room, searching for words. As he did this Thalia couldn't help but notice how robotic his movements were. It was almost as though he found everything he did extremely uncomfortable and/or confusing.

"I am angel of the Lord. Or at least I was. Now it's more complicated." Thalia scoffed and instantly regretted it as a sharp pain shot through her head.

Thalia clutched her throbbing head and groaned. That's when she noticed that Dean had left some pain killers and a glass of water on the bedside table. As she reached over for them she smiled gratefully.

"Angels don't exist." Thalia said firmly after swallowing a couple of pain killers. It was a belief she refused to changed, no matter how ignorant she was beginning to sound. Angels just weren't feasible to her.

"Thalia you of all people should believe that they do." Castiel said, examining her distressed expression.

"Well I don't. Sorry to disappoint you Castiel." She said bitterly.

"Look I know what happened to you was-"

Thalia snapped, "You don't know a god damn thing about what happened to me."

Hot anger flared in her, blocking out all the pain from the head injury. _Nobody_ had right to act like they knew what she had been through. Thalia didn't care if Castiel was an Angel or Jesus Christ himself. She wasn't going to sit here and listen to him go on about how he knew her pain. He knew shit as far as she was concerned. Suddenly the door swung open and everybody came in at once. Castiel stood and walked over to Sam and Dean.

At the sight of Evie storming through the crowd of grown-ups Thalia's anger at the angel faded. The toddler hauled herself up onto the double bed with all the strength in her podgy arms. She was grinning triumphantly while she crawled up the bed to sit next to Thalia. "I brought you Bump." She declared handing her aunt a tatty teddy bear with its paw in a sling. Thalia took the bear and thanked her niece. The next few minutes were a blur. Maisy immediately started to fuss over Thalia offering to get her a drink, a cool towel, something to eat. She declined this all politely. Ethan handed her a big bunch of flowers. Dylan told her that her hair was a mess and then that he was proud of her. Even Kieran came over, "Thalia I just wanted to say thank you for everything. I got my son back because of you and I don't think you'll ever understand how much that means to me."

Thalia smiled at him. She didn't know Kieran very well, but from the time she had spent with him Thalia thought that he seemed like a genuinely nice guy. "Well what else is a hunter for? But honestly Kieran you should be thanking Sam and Dean. Without them here I think… things would have been a lot worse." Thalia couldn't stop thinking about how she had wanted to give herself up. Now she was so glad that she hadn't, and she had a certain green eyed Winchester to thank for it.

Thalia caught Dean's eye and waved him over. She couldn't help the huge grin on her face despite knowing that he was going to tease her for admitting he had been right. He started towards her but Thalia's view of Dean was obscured. Jamie popped up in front of her and Thalia felt her good mood falter for a split second. But the happiness quickly returned. She hadn't noticed that Jamie was here.

"Hey." She said, still surprised by his sudden appearance.

"Hi. I guess the work trip's cancelled." As he joked his blue eyes had lit up with happiness.

"Yeah." She agreed as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'm glad you're okay." Thalia was going to say something but Jamie cut her off with a kiss. She kissed him back, despite being thoroughly alarmed by it. She didn't close her eyes, instead looked over Jamie's shoulder and locked eyes with Dean, he looked distressed over something. Sam was whispering in his ear so Dean turned away from Thalia and exchanged seemingly aggravated words with his brother. He walked out of the room and Thalia frowned. Jamie pulled away, smiling down at her. "Let me take you out on a date as soon as you're feeling better. Okay?"

"Alright, that sounds good…look I need to pee. I'll be back in a moment." Jamie nodded. Thalia got up and excused herself. She rushed into the hallway to see Dean making his way to the stairs.

"Dean wait up!" She called out, instantly regretting it as the pain in her head flared up. Dean's broad figure paused and he spun to look at Thalia. He offered her a meek half smile. "Hey…" Thalia suddenly didn't know what to say. She felt guilt beginning to creep in, but what for? She hadn't done anything wrong.

"Hi." Dean said. He was looking anywhere and everywhere except from at her.

Thalia searched for something to say. In the end she went with, "How long was I unconscious for?"

"Can't you ask your boyfriend?" Dean grunted, he sounded colder than he had meant to.

She was surprisingly upset by his apparent foul mood; he'd been fine thirty minutes ago. "Oh… I… uh guess so." She paused for a moment. Thalia found herself at a loss, something had obviously upset him. She decided that she would just say what she came here to say and hope that Dean didn't get to mad. "Look I just wanted to say thank you. You fought for me when everyone else was ready to give up; myself included. That means a lot to me Dean. I don't trust many people, I can only think of three actually, and two of them are you and Sam. I mean I'm even wary of my own family, half the time they seem like strangers to me, y'know? Actually I suppose you don't…"

"You'd be surprised. I've seen a lot of different sides to Sam over the years." Dean felt all the jealousy and irritation slip away when she fixed him with her large brown bambi eyes. "You were out for two days Thalia."

"Did you stay with me… the whole time?" She choked, she already knew the answer. Thalia felt an immense surge of emotions well up. The only problem was she had no idea how to process them. Why did she feel like she was going to cry? Dean's gaze flittered to the carpet and he nodded. Thalia stepped forward and embraced him. Her palms were pressed against his shoulder blades and Deans arms snaked around her waist. They held onto each other as though their lives depended on it. Thalia reached up on her tiptoes and buried her face in Dean's neck, breathing in his scent: leather and gunpowder mainly, but she liked it. She closed her eyes and whispered against his warm skin."Thanks for saving me Dean."

**Hiya, hope that everyone's enjoying the story so far! Uhg Jamie's such a cockblock :( maybe I can just get a lorry to hit him. I feel like people might appreciate that. Anyway if you like this story please follow, fave and REVIEW because it motivates meh. Also thank you to everyone who has already done that! :D :D :D :D **


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